Somali woman dies at sea in tragic smuggling journey to Mayotte
Mogadishu: The family of beauty salon owner Fathi Hussein is mourning her tragic death after a failed attempt to reach the French island of Mayotte. The perilous journey ended in disaster when smugglers abandoned the migrants, leaving them adrift in the Indian Ocean for nearly two weeks.
“We were told by survivors that she died from hunger,” Fathi's stepsister, Samira, revealed in a phone interview. Fathi was among more than 70 passengers who set out on two small boats but were left stranded. Survivors recounted that while others consumed raw fish and seawater, Fathi refused. "They said she started hallucinating before she died, and her body was then thrown into the ocean," Samira explained.
The family learned of her death when fellow Somali survivors were rescued by fishermen off the coast of Madagascar. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 24 people died, while 48 survived the ordeal.
Fathi's decision to undertake the dangerous voyage puzzled her family, as she had a thriving beauty salon in Mogadishu’s middle-class Yaqshid neighborhood. She confided only in her younger sister, explaining that she used her earnings to pay the smugglers. “She used to hate the ocean. I don’t know why she made that choice. I wish I could hug her,” Samira lamented.
Fathi's journey began on November 1, when she flew to Mombasa, Kenya, before embarking on the treacherous 1,100 km boat trip. Survivors said the smugglers, claiming mechanical issues, transferred passengers to smaller boats, falsely assuring them they would reach Mayotte in three hours. Instead, they drifted for 14 days.
Some survivors believe the smugglers intentionally abandoned them after receiving payment. Frantz Celestin, a regional official with the IOM, described the growing risk migrants face attempting to reach Mayotte. "This year has been particularly deadly for migrants," he said, citing a recent tragedy where 25 others perished.
The journey to Mayotte, often seen as a gateway to Europe, has become increasingly common. Routes vary, with some migrants traveling via the Comoros Islands, while others fly to Madagascar before attempting the final sea leg. One survivor, Khadar Mohamed, recalled his own harrowing experience, escaping Somalia due to threats from the militant group al-Shabab.
Families of the victims report paying smugglers around $6,000 for the journey, half of it upfront. Despite promises of safer, larger boats, many migrants end up on small fishing vessels known as "kwassa."
Somalia’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, stated efforts are underway to contact survivors and bring them home. Meanwhile, Fathi’s family reported a suspected smuggler in Mogadishu, who was arrested but later released on bail.“I wish she could have said goodbye,” Samira said, her voice heavy with grief. “I’ll never know what she felt in those final moments, and that pain will stay with me forever.”
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Cristiano Ronaldo scores his 100th Saudi Pro League goal
Riyadh (AP): Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th Saudi Pro League goal as Al-Nassr beat Al-Shabab 4-2 to move five points clear at the top of the table.
The 41-year-old forward converted a Sadio Mané cross at the near post with 15 minutes remaining to record the 971st goal of his career on Thursday. It was also his 26th league goal of the season.
“Ronaldo is always dangerous going forward and we saw that again today,” Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus said.
João Félix, signed from Chelsea in July, scored three goals for the league leaders.
The win took Al-Nassr to 82 points from 32 games, five ahead of Al-Hilal, which has three matches, one more than Nassr, left to play. Al-Hilal meets Al-Kholood on Friday and faces Nassr on Tuesday in what could be a title decider against its Riyadh rival.
“Now we have a derby match against our rival, which is a difficult encounter,” Jesus said.
“We are fully aware of its importance, and we are dealing with it with complete focus as we know that small details could decide the result.”
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, has yet to secure a major trophy in Saudi Arabia since signing with Al-Nassr in December 2022.
