Subject: Urgent Action Required: Somali Migrants Dying in the
Mediterranean between Algeria and Spain
To: European Union External Action Service (EEAS), UNHCR, IOM, European
Commission DG ECHO, and relevant UN human rights offices
We, the undersigned, urgently appeal to the European Union and the
United Nations to respond to the escalating humanitarian crisis
involving Somali migrants and asylum seekers who are dying in growing
numbers while crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Algeria to Spain.
In recent weeks alone, multiple tragedies have been reported:
• 20+ Somali migrants drowned en route to Palma, Spain; only two teenage
survivors were rescued.
• Other boats have capsized with entire groups of Somali youths lost at
sea.
• Migrants are dying from dehydration, exposure, and neglect, often
abandoned by smugglers.
These lives are not just numbers. They are young people fleeing
hardship, conflict, and instability, only to meet death on Europe’s
doorstep.
Key Concerns
• The Algeria-Spain route is increasingly deadly due to poor vessel
conditions, smuggling abuse, and lack of rescue coverage.
• Somali migrants face detention, exploitation, and violence in North
Africa before their sea journey.
• There is no consistent monitoring or data collection on deaths in this
corridor.
Our Urgent Requests
We call on the EU and UN bodies to:
1. Deploy emergency maritime monitoring and search/rescue missions
focused on the Algeria-Spain corridor.
2. Support safe and legal migration pathways for Somali asylum seekers,
including resettlement and humanitarian visas.
3. Pressure Algeria and transit countries to end unlawful detention and
abuse of migrants.
4. Establish a joint UN-EU fact-finding mission to document deaths and
ensure accountability.
5. Ensure survivor-centered care and trauma support for those rescued.
This Cannot Continue in Silence
The continued loss of Somali lives at sea is a moral and legal failure.
As global leaders committed to human rights and refugee protection, the
European Union and United Nations must act swiftly to prevent further
loss of life.
We urge your offices to respond with action, not just condolences.
Sincerely,
Osman Ahmed
Director of Somalia Equality and Human Rights Organisation
