Bunady
A Somali beautician, Fathi, tragically lost her life during a perilous journey across the Indian Ocean in an attempt to migrate to Europe. Her family was informed of her death by Somali survivors who had been rescued off the coast of Madagascar after spending 14 harrowing days adrift....TAP TO READ THE FULL CONTENT | TAP TO READ THE FULL CONTENT
“People were eating raw fish and drinking sea water, which she refused.
They [the survivors] said she started hallucinating before she died. And after that they threw her body into the ocean,” Fathi’s sister, Samira, told the BBC.
The survivors revealed that Fathi died after being abandoned by smugglers who had divided the migrants into two small boats, both of which drifted aimlessly before capsizing. The International Migration Organization (IMO) reported that the tragedy claimed 24 lives, while 48 people survived.
On November 1, Fathi had flown from Mogadishu to Mombasa, Kenya, before embarking on the treacherous 1,100 km sea voyage to Mayotte, a French territory. Despite her success as a beauty salon owner in Mogadishu’s Yaqshid neighborhood, Fathi concealed her migration plans from her family, confiding only in a younger sister. She reportedly used her earnings to pay the smugglers.
“She used to hate the ocean. I don’t know why and how she took that decision. I wish I could give her a hug,” Samira said, expressing disbelief and grief over her sister’s choice.
Survivors recounted that the migrants initially traveled in a large boat, which smugglers claimed had mechanical issues. The smugglers transferred them to smaller boats, falsely assuring them they would reach Mayotte within three hours. Instead, the journey turned into a 14-day ordeal, leading to starvation, dehydration, and multiple deaths. Some survivors suspect the smugglers deliberately abandoned them after receiving their payment.
“This year has been the deadliest for migrants,” said IMO regional official Frantz Celestin, highlighting the growing risks faced by those seeking to reach Mayotte. Many migrants view the island as a stepping stone to a French passport and better opportunities in Europe. Smugglers charge up to $6,000 for the dangerous journey, often using small fishing boats rather than the larger vessels advertised.
One survivor, Khadar Mohamed, shared his own harrowing journey from Somalia to Mayotte. “I left my country for my safety. I was a business owner, and I couldn’t do my work because of al-Shabab,” he said, describing threats from the militant group that drove him to leave Somalia.
Fathi’s family has reported a Mogadishu-based smuggler linked to her journey. Although he was arrested, he has since been released on bail. Meanwhile, Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, stated that the government is working to contact survivors and facilitate their return home.
Samira continues to grapple with the loss. “I wish she could talk to me and tell me about her decision. She could have said bye to me… now, I don’t know how to process her death,” she said.
