Death – Obituary – Accident and Crime News : At her home in the Syrian town of Daraa al-Balad, Rania Abu Aoun spends her days waiting anxiously for news about her son, Ramy. Ramy left on a boat from Algeria heading towards Spain on January 3, 2022, and has been missing ever since. The 30-year-old father of three was hoping to reach Europe and provide a better future for his children.
Daraa al-Balad, particularly the neighborhood of Tarik al-Sad where the Aoun family resides, has been heavily affected by the Syrian war since it began in 2011. Rania’s house was hit by an air raid in 2013. The ongoing war and economic challenges faced by Syrian refugees in neighboring countries pushed many to undertake the dangerous journey to Europe. By March 2021, over one million Syrians had arrived in Europe seeking asylum.
Ramy, described as quiet and studious, had been considering migrating to Europe for some time to provide a better life for his children. He met a woman named Latifa in May 2021, who arranged his trip to Spain. Rania sold an inherited apartment to pay the $4,000 fee for Ramy’s journey. However, after arriving in Algeria, Ramy lost contact with Latifa, and his family grew increasingly worried.
Ramy’s family and the families of the three friends he was traveling with decided to search for their loved ones themselves. Unfortunately, they encountered little assistance and were met with denials and lack of responsibility from intermediaries involved in arranging the journey.
In their search for answers, Rania and Anouar, the wife of one of Ramy’s companions, reached out to organizations and authorities. However, they found little support and were left to search alone. They have connected with other families who are also searching for missing loved ones on sea voyages to Spain.
The Spanish government has stated that the responsibility for assisting these families lies with NGOs and the Red Cross. However, the families argue that the police should be responsible for the search and support.
Rania received an anonymous tip in November 2022 suggesting that Ramy and his companions were being held in a prison in the Spanish province of AlmerÃa. However, the Spanish authorities have stated that there is no record of their imprisonment.
Rania and Anouar, along with other families, are exhausted from searching alone and are calling for more support and assistance from the authorities. They believe that the responsibility for finding missing migrants lies with the police and not solely with NGOs. The families remain hopeful that they will one day find answers about the fate of their loved ones.