How baby Omar reached Italy across the desert-sea – 2024-04-01 14:53:44

An eight-year-old child has arrived in Italy after crossing the Sahara desert and finally the Mediterranean Sea from the African country of Mali. For this he had to travel nearly seven thousand kilometers, which he did without parents or any family members.

The name of the child in question is Omar. He was also detained for some time in a Libyan prison at one stage of the migration route. His perilous journey ended when he was later rescued by manned ships from the central Mediterranean.

After the journey from Mali, Omar could not speak to his parents for four long months. Finally, on March 18, the eight-year-old child reached Ancona, Italy and was able to talk to his family.

Italian journalist Angela Nocioni was on board the ship belonging to SOS Mediterranean, the NGO that rescued the migrants, including Omar. He said Omar traveled seven thousand kilometers across deserts and seas without any adult family members.

This is Oumar and he is less than 9 years old. He left Mali alone and after an incredible adventure, including torture and very high waves, he arrived in Ancona. The rest of the story, and of that he calls his father, today on @ilmessaggeroit pic.twitter.com/5ix2PHWxGT

— Nicola Pinna (@nicola_pinna) March 21, 2024

Omar fled the country’s southwestern region after terrorist attacks in Mali late last year. At one point he separated from his family and started a journey towards the Sahara desert. Later, the child was able to reach Libya, another country in Africa.

Journalist Nocioni told local daily Leunita that it was unclear exactly how the child arrived in Libya. He also talked about working for money on the migration route. We do not know how Omar boarded the boat off the Libyan coast or how he paid the smugglers.

The child’s first voyage from the Libyan coast, however, was unsuccessful. He was detained by the Libyan coast guard along with other would-be migrants and taken to Ain Zara prison in Tripoli. The prison is known as ‘hell’ to immigrants.

The local militias tortured the detained people and sent the video to their families asking for ransom. After being freed from Ain Zara, Omar went to the western Libyan city of Zawiya and tried to make his way to Europe from there.

Libya’s controversial law corrodes prisons. Photo: Collected

Angela Nocioni said, “I saw this boy during a visit to Ain Zara prison. Being the only child in prison, I recognized him on the rescue ship.

Recalling the incident of the rescue ship on the coast of Libya on March 14, this journalist said that the boy was suffering from dehydration and was injured. But he was more active than others.

The humanitarian rescue ship Ocean Viking took Omar and other migrants to Ancona on Italy’s east coast. Omar was transferred to a center dedicated to minors there.

Alessandro Fusilli, the center’s director, told the Daily Telegraph the boy had memorized his father’s telephone number. When I pulled out my phone she gave her father’s number. Later I called with the help of an interpreter. They talked on the phone.

Omar tells his father, father, I am sorry for leaving without telling you. i am here

His father on the phone asks, but where are you? He replied, I’m on the other side! In Europe! Dad will I go to school here?

Omar’s father was surprised on the other end of the phone. He was relieved to hear that the boy he had been looking for for four months was safe.

Alessandro Fusilli said the boy was very intelligent and brave. Every morning she sees other children getting ready and asks us, will I go to school?

Source: InfoMigrants
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