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Two Moroccan homeless men have died in Barcelona, Spain, presumably from hypothermia. The men, aged 37 and 32, died in two separate incidents on Monday, January 11, La Vanguardia reported.
The first victim died in the Placa del Poeta Bosca, a public square near the beach of Barcelona. Meanwhile, the second victim died in the Ciutadella Park, the largest park in the city.
Workers at the Barceloneta market, near the Placa del Poeta Bosca, found the first victim at approximately 7:30 a.m. According to La Vanguardia, workers quickly recognized the deceased because he lived in the area for more than four years, allegedly sustaining his basic needs through begging.
The second victim, meanwhile, spent the night accompanied with five other homeless Moroccans, La Vanguardia reported.
According to the newspaper, one of the deceased’s companions, a 19-year-old, exhibited early signs of hypothermia but was quickly transferred to the hospital.
The two deceased Moroccans did not have any injuries on their bodies. Emergency doctors maintained that they have died from hypothermia. However, security services ordered autopsies to confirm the causes of death.
La Vanguardia claimed that the number of homeless people in Barcelona has significantly grown during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Arrels Foundation, a local NGO that advocates for the rights of homeless people, there are currently 1,200 men and women who sleep in the streets of Barcelona, with irregular migrants representing a large part of the homeless community.
The recent tragic incidents, which occurred as Spain goes through its worst cold wave in 20 years, will hopefully impel Spanish authorities to better assist homeless people.
