Islamabad: According to initial statements recorded by a four-member Pakistani investigative team, Pakistani survivors of the Morocco boat tragedy have claimed it was a premeditated massacre by human traffickers.
Survivors revealed that human traffickers kept the boat stranded in open water for several days demanding ransom. Those who paid were released, while those who could not were beaten with hammers and thrown into the sea, he said.
Victims also revealed that many travelers died due to cold weather, lack of food and physical violence. “The vessel was under the control of an international human trafficking ring, which included traffickers from Senegal, Mauritania and Morocco,” the source said.
An investigative team comprising officials from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting along with FIA is currently in Morocco to investigate the incident.
Reports suggest that most of the deaths were due to severe weather and violence on the overcrowded boat. The survivors faced dire conditions during their ordeal, including food and water shortages.
