Spotlight: Egypt's "death boat" drowns dreams, signals social problems

"We all call it 'the Mediterranean death boat,' where you may lose everything, including your life," said Mahmoud, a 46-year-old Syrian refugee who lives in Cairo, noting his wife has reached Europe and is waiting for reunion with him and their children.

"My wife cried her eyes out when she was leaving us, but I told her to be strong, because this is life," the man told Xinhua, insisting to keep his family name anonymous for safety reasons.

Mahmoud also narrated some details of the smuggling process of migrants and how a fishery boat can be overloaded with hundreds of people without any life jackets, risking their lives for a new beginning on the other side of the Mediterranean.

"From the northern coast of Egypt, an overloaded shabby migrant boat sometimes has to go through strong waves in the Mediterranean Sea to reach Italy, especially in autumn and winter," he said.

Just as Mahmoud described, a "death boat" capsized last week off Egypt's northern coast carrying hundreds of passengers, mostly Egyptians, seeking to illegally enter Italy. Despite the rescuing efforts, the death toll has risen to 202 so far while another 164 passengers have been rescued.

Egypt has become a more common launching point for illegal migration through its Mediterranean Sea shores to Europe after Libya and Turkey lost their importance for smugglers.

Besides the large amount of refugees gathering in Egypt from the war-torn Syria and other countries, more locals resort to illegal migration to flee difficult economic conditions in the financially-struggling Arab country, where unemployment rate hit 12.5 percent according to official reports.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released the latest statistics that more than 300,000 people have tried to smuggle to Europe by sea since January, and over 3,000 of them were dead or missing on their way.

Statistics from the International Organization for Migration showed that, in 2015, outward migration population from Egypt has reached over three million, and the inward number reached about 500,000.

"My wife will finish all of the legal procedures to stay in Germany after her refugee status is confirmed," Mahmoud said, adding that, "but she told me there are lots of illegal migrants trying to make use of the refugee policy to settle down in Europe."

"For those people, even if they finally make a fortune and stay in Europe, it will be hard for them to find a job or integrate into the society," he said.

Admitting the "death boat" is in no way a reliable route, the man admitted that he still has to choose it.

"I can't find a job in Egypt, and my children need their mom," Mahmoud added.

For Adel Othma, an Egyptian mechanic who is 32 years old, however, the "death boat" deserves the risk of life.

"Nine years have passed since I graduated from my university, my salary still can't afford a marriage or any apartment to live. I feel no hope," he said.

To make a change, Othma asked his family to sell a piece of land to pay the traffickers and has made a plan to escape the present life.

"My families are so worried after the recent boat accident," he said. "But I have nothing to loss in Egypt, even if the boat drowned, at least I have tried the best to reach my dream."

"Why do you leave your country? Is there no work in Egypt? I assure you there are job opportunities here," said the Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in his speech to the youth who seek illegal migration to Europe on Monday.

The country's leader also urged for joining efforts to face the problem of illegal migration.

For Egypt, the issue has become a far more complicated social problem rather than refugee resettlement.

"I always tell my friends to never step on those crazy boats, but they give me a deaf ear," said Sheiarick Jabateh, an African migrant from Guinea. He fled to Egypt because of the spreading Ebola virus in his hometown.

Jabateh was an English teacher before. Like other migrants in Egypt, he can't find a job to feed himself.

"The human traffickers often make propaganda by introducing us some people living a good life in Europe after the 'death trip,' but I have never taken this as a choice," he said.

"The traffickers have built a network across the Mediterranean Sea and they use guns to control the migrants on board. They are criminals," the young migrant added.

Regarding the reason behind the fatal business, Jabateh said in Egypt and other African countries, the word "Europe" means rich and decent life, "like an unreachable dream."

Unlike illegal migrants, Jabateh expected to start a new life in Egypt. "I miss my children who are stuck in Libya now," he continued with a low and sad voice.

"People should use their common sense to choose the right way. I hope Egypt and Europe concern more about refugees and migrants like us, and provide us more legal channels to earn a better life," he said. Endit