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Stowaways found on rudder after ship’s 11-day voyage

Three stowaways have been found sitting on the rudder of a ship after it completed an 11-day voyage from Nigeria, Spanish authorities say.

A photo shared by the coastguard shows the men sitting on the rudder at the oil tanker’s stern, their feet less than a metre away from the water.

Three people sitting on a ship’s rudder IMAGE SOURCE,SALVAMENTO MARITIMO

They were taken to hospital at the tanker’s destination in Gran Canaria and treated for moderate dehydration.

It’s unclear if they spent the entire journey perched on the rudder.

The Maltese-flagged Althini II arrived in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, from Nigeria’s largest city Lagos – a journey of more than 2,700 nautical miles – according to data collected by maritime tracking websites.

The men were seen by medics at the dock where they were found, and were taken to hospital soon after, the Spanish news agency EFE said.

The men were taken to hospital shortly after they were found
This isn’t the first time stowaways have been found on rudders, which are large blade-like fins found under ships and used for steering.

A 14 year-old boy who also travelled from Lagos to Gran Canaria in 2020 told the paper El Pais that he spent the entire 15 day journey on the rudder of a huge fuel tanker. He was hospitalised upon arrival, after surviving on salt water and taking turns sleeping in a hole above the rudder with the other men he was travelling with.

“We were very weak. I never imagined it could be this hard.” he said.

In another incident the same year, four men were found on the rudder of the Norwegian oil tanker, Champion Pula, after it had travelled from Lagos to Las Palmas. Reports at the time said the men hid in a room behind the rudder during its 10 days at sea.

The number of migrants crossing on boats from west Africa to the Spanish-owned Canary Islands has risen significantly in recent years.

The journeys are long, hazardous and deadly. In 2021, the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded 1,126 deaths on the route. source BBC News

Africa is Blessed with so much Resources but Greed, selfishness, Conflict of interest, nepotism, all the words you can find, are the things killing the youth,

These people are not Criminals facing Death Sentence, but youthful People who wants opportunity to also make a difference.

Annax Chukwu wrote,
Nigeria is a blessed nation and does not deserve to be seen like this but bad leadership denies them the good life they desire and deserve. Election is around the corner and the same set of bad leaders are regrouping again

According to Paulinus Ugwuja on meta (Fb), said,

When they look at the present situation of their country and realize that there is no hope for the youths, they decided to take this dangerous risk.
Indeed, conditions can make some people to take tough and suicidal decisions.
Africa Must change, use the resources for all, empower the youth, set them up for greatness.
Medical Doctors, Nurses, Teachers, Lawyers  leave Africa to become  cleaners in Europe, just imagine those with no qualifications and no Jobs.
Let us change the Narrative now. It is not too late.
It doesn’t always have to be the youth taking matters into their own hands to destroy things to prove points.
#AFRICA CAN DO BETTER FOR THE YOUTH #SEEKERSNEWSGH.COM

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Peter

Peter N. Djangmah is a multifaceted individual with a passion for education, entrepreneurship, and blogging. With a firm belief in the power of digital education and science, I am affectionately known as the Private Minister of Information. Connect with me

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