FIA, IB officials head to Morocco for boat tragedy probe

Pakistan has dispatched investigative teams to Morocco to probe a migrant boat tragedy that left dozens dead, officials said.

The teams, comprising officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and the Interior Ministry, will gather evidence and interview survivors to determine the circumstances of the sinking, a senior FIA official told reporters, Express News reported.

"The teams will collect videos, photos, and other documents to ensure a thorough investigation," the official said, adding that their findings will be presented to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

At least 86 people were on board when the vessel capsized near Morocco’s coast, including 66 Pakistanis, according to initial reports.

It remains unclear how many survived or remain missing.

Authorities have vowed a crackdown on human trafficking networks suspected of facilitating the perilous journey. Survivors’ testimonies will be key in identifying those responsible, officials said.

Earlier this week, a tragic incident involving migrants attempting to reach Spain from West Africa may have claimed the lives of up to 50 people, including 44 Pakistanis, according to the migrant rights group Walking Borders.

The group reported on Thursday that the boat, which departed from Mauritania on January 2, carried 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis. Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people from the boat on Wednesday.

The migrants were part of a larger wave attempting to make the perilous journey across the Atlantic to the Canary Islands.

Walking Borders, based in Madrid and Navarra, revealed that the boat had gone missing for days before the alarm was raised.

Six days ago, the group had informed authorities in all involved countries about the boat’s disappearance.

The non-governmental organization Alarm Phone, which helps migrants lost at sea, also contacted Spain’s maritime rescue service on January 12, but the service reportedly had no information about the boat.

Walking Borders has documented a record number of deaths in 2024, with 10,457 migrants—roughly 30 per day—dying while attempting to reach Spain, mostly along the Atlantic route from West African countries like Mauritania and Senegal.

The Canary Islands, a key destination for many migrants, have become a major site of this deadly migration route.

Helena Maleno, CEO of Walking Borders, shared on social media that 44 of the victims were from Pakistan, describing the ordeal as a 13-day journey of suffering and anguish with no rescue assistance.

The tragedy has sparked outrage from both local officials and humanitarian groups.

Embassy in contact with local authorities, says Foreign Ministry

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the deaths of several Pakistanis in the migrant boat accident and stated that the embassy is in contact with local authorities.

The embassy in Morocco reported that a boat carrying 80 passengers, including several Pakistanis, capsized near the Dakhla port in Morocco, having set off from Mauritania as the survivors, including Pakistanis, are currently residing in a camp near Dakhla.

The Foreign Ministry has activated its Crisis Management Unit and dispatched a team to Dakhla to provide assistance.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has instructed relevant authorities to ensure all possible help for the affected Pakistanis.

The Foreign Ministry has also released contact details for assistance:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamabad: 051-9207887, Email: cmu1@mofa.gov.pk

Pakistani Embassy Rabat: Rabia Kasuri (Charge d'Affaires) +212 689 52 23 65, Nauman Ali (Consular Assistant) +92 310 2204672.