Pakistani survivors of the boat tragedy in Morocco have claimed that it was a premeditated and orchestrated massacre by human traffickers, according to preliminary statements recorded by a four-member Pakistani investigation team, Express News reported.
Survivors revealed that human traffickers kept the ship stranded in open waters for several days, demanding a ransom. “Those who paid were freed, while those who could not were beaten with hammers and thrown into the sea,” they stated.
The victims also revealed that many passengers died due to cold, lack of food and physical attacks. “The ship was under the control of an international human trafficking network, involving smugglers from Senegal, Mauritania and Morocco,” the sources said.
The investigation team, comprising officials from the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, together with the FIA, is currently in Morocco to investigate the incident.
Reports indicate that most of the casualties occurred due to bad weather and violence on the crowded ship. The survivors faced terrible conditions, including shortages of food and water, during their ordeal.
