SAO PAULO (AP) – Authorities say they’ve arrested two Brazilians suspected of trying to smuggle African migrants on a roughly 1,900-mile (3,000-kilometer) voyage across the Atlantic by boat.
Federal Police officer Roberio Chaves said Monday that the Brazilians and 25 Africans set off from Cape Verde in a catamaran last month but ran into trouble and were adrift for weeks. They were rescued by fishermen and arrived in Brazil on Saturday.
Tens of thousands of Africans try to reach Europe by sea each year, but such voyages to Brazil are rate.
In this photo released by Maranhao state, an unidentified African migrant arrives after he was rescued by fishermen, at the pier of Sao Jose de Ribamar, Brazil, Sunday, May 20, 2018. Authorities say about two dozen African migrants have come ashore in northeastern Brazil after being rescued at sea by fishermen. (Carlinhos Pereira/Maranhao state government via AP)
Chaves said it’s the first group of migrants to arrive in the northeastern state of Maranhao in such large numbers and on a boat expressly meant for smuggling.
The migrants are being housed in a sports complex while police examine their cases.
In this photo released by Maranhao state, an unidentified African migrant arrives after he was rescued by fishermen, at the pier of Sao Jose de Ribamar, Brazil, Sunday, May 20, 2018. Authorities say about two dozen African migrants have come ashore in northeastern Brazil after being rescued at sea by fishermen. (Carlinhos Pereira/Maranhao state government via AP)
In this photo released by Maranhao state, African migrants arrives after being rescued by fishermen, at the pier in Sao Jose de Ribamar, Brazil, Sunday, May 20, 2018. Authorities say about two dozen African migrants have come ashore in northeastern Brazil after being rescued at sea by fishermen. (Carlinhos Pereira/Maranhao state government via AP)
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