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| Guinea-Bissau migrant shipwreck: Dozens feared dead | Guinea-Bissau migrant shipwreck: Dozens feared dead |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| About 60 migrants are feared to have drowned when a wooden boat capsized during a storm off Guinea-Bissau. | About 60 migrants are feared to have drowned when a wooden boat capsized during a storm off Guinea-Bissau. |
| The country's navy was unable to help when the boat went down on Monday as it lacked the resources, national ports head Felix Siga told the BBC. | The country's navy was unable to help when the boat went down on Monday as it lacked the resources, national ports head Felix Siga told the BBC. |
| The boat wreckage has been found but no bodies have been recovered. | The boat wreckage has been found but no bodies have been recovered. |
| It is not clear where the boat was headed but the sea crossing to Spain's Canary Islands from neighbouring countries used to be popular. | It is not clear where the boat was headed but the sea crossing to Spain's Canary Islands from neighbouring countries used to be popular. |
| Guinea-Bissau is some 1,120 miles (1,802 km) from the Canary Islands. | |
| However, this route has become less common since naval patrols increased on the Atlantic Ocean in the 1990s. Accidents at sea involving West African migrants in overcrowded boats are common. | However, this route has become less common since naval patrols increased on the Atlantic Ocean in the 1990s. Accidents at sea involving West African migrants in overcrowded boats are common. |
| The coastguard in Guinea-Bissau has two speedboats, but they are often unable to leave the port because of a lack of fuel, the AFP news agency reports, quoting a naval officer. | The coastguard in Guinea-Bissau has two speedboats, but they are often unable to leave the port because of a lack of fuel, the AFP news agency reports, quoting a naval officer. |
| Following a series of military coups and unrest, the country is now one of the poorest in the world. | Following a series of military coups and unrest, the country is now one of the poorest in the world. |
| It has a massive foreign debt and an economy that relies heavily on foreign aid, and has become a transhipment point for Latin American drugs in recent years. | |
| Many of its young people are unable to get jobs and so go abroad to seek opportunities. | Many of its young people are unable to get jobs and so go abroad to seek opportunities. |