On Saturday, April 13, 2024, a chilling discovery was made near the northeastern shore of Brazil when local fishermen came across a small boat filled with severely decomposed bodies.
The vessel, discovered off the coast of Bragança in Pará, was positioned approximately 185 miles from the state capital, Belém. The 39-foot white and blue canoe-style boat resembled the fishing pirogues from Mauritania typically used by migrants and refugees from West Africa hoping to reach Spain’s Canary Islands, suggesting that the boat may have been bound for a destination other than Brazil.
The Brazilian Federal Public Ministry quickly initiated an investigation to determine the source of the boat and identify the deceased. A spokesperson for the ministry mentioned, “Due to the decomposition of the remains, it’s unknown how many died on the boat,” highlighting the difficulties expected in the forthcoming probe. The number of raincoats found on the boat leads officials to believe that there were at least 25 passengers initially on board.
Forensic teams are working to examine the remains and any objects found with the bodies that might provide insight into their identities or places of origin. Items and documents found with the deceased indicate they might have been migrants from Mauritania and Mali in Africa, according to a police report, which also suggested the potential presence of victims from other countries. “We are doing everything we can to piece together where this boat came from and who these people were. It’s a detailed process given the condition of the bodies,” said local police chief João Mendes.
The Atlantic route off the coast of Brazil is notoriously perilous, frequently used by migrants hoping to reach safer lands. Past incidents have demonstrated the dangers of such voyages, including the potential for boats to be blown off course by strong Atlantic winds and currents. African migrants from Mali and Mauritania have previously used this path, intending for the Canary Islands but failing to reach their desired destination. Authorities are collaborating with international agencies to determine if the migrants might have initially aimed to reach the Canaries.
This incident is not the first of its kind in this region of the Atlantic. In 2021, a minimum of seven boats carrying corpses were found along the coasts of Brazil and the Eastern Caribbean. These incidents involved migrants who had been swept across the ocean, with numerous fatalities caused by dehydration, malnutrition, or individuals jumping overboard in desperation.
As the Brazilian Federal Police continue their investigations, the local community and international observers are waiting for answers. These findings underscore the ongoing migrant crisis and the perilous nature of the journeys many embark on in the hope of a better life.
