Brazilian authorities have rescued four Nigerian migrants who survived two weeks on a ship’s rudder.
The men, who fled economic hardship in their home country, ran out of food ten days into their harrowing 5600 km journey. They survived for the next four days by drinking the seawater that crashed against the rudder.
The men said that poverty, lack of opportunity, and crime left them with no option but to leave.
Reuters reports the men expected to land in Europe and were surprised to learn that the ship had docked in The Brazilian port of Vitoria
Two Nigerian migrants have asked to be sent back to Nigeria, while the other two have applied for asylum in Brazil.
Migrants’ Struggles
Migrants and refugees face myriad challenges in their search for better lives.
According to a report by Statista.com, the number of Nigerians leaving the country has more than doubled since 1990 to a staggering 1.3 million people in 2020.
To begin with, journeys are often life-threatening. In April, over 400 migrants died while attempting to cross from North Africa to Europe.
Life isn’t likely to get better once they reach their destinations.
Red Cross International says many migrants struggle to get basic healthcare, education and jobs in their new countries.
Xenophobia is also a concern. Over the past two decades, migrants in South Africa have been plagued by xenophobic attacks. South Africans accused immigrants of taking job opportunities, negatively impacting the country’s strained economy.
Concerns have been raised about the physical capacity of landing cities to deal with migrants’ basic needs. New York officials are grappling with housing the more than 90 000 migrants that have poured into the city in the last year. There has been talk of plans to house them in tents in central park. The notion has angered conservative groups in the country.
