Escape Story of Abu Dakha

Consider some of the most memorable escape tales. You might think of classics like The Great Escape or Escape from Alcatraz, but when it comes to real-life breakouts, Abu Dakha's story stands out as one of the best.

Dakha embarked on a daring journey to flee from Gaza, Palestine, following the destruction of his home and business. In April 2024, the 31-year-old set off on his quest, paying $5,000 to cross the border into Egypt with hopes of seeking asylum in China, only to be turned away. Undeterred, he made his way to Libya, aiming for Europe. However, Dakha's escape was about to become much more challenging.

Many asylum seekers in Libya fall victim to abuse and scams by traffickers. After 10 unsuccessful attempts to cross to Italy, Dakha took matters into his own hands. He purchased a Yamaha personal watercraft (PWC) for $5,000 and invested an additional $1,500 in a GPS unit, satellite phone, and life jackets for two other Palestinian men who joined him on the PWC. After testing the PWC's capabilities, Dakha calculated the necessary fuel for the journey to Italy and devised a plan to carry it all.

And so, the trio set off.

After 12 hours of continuous travel, covering 160-180 nautical miles, Dakha and his companions ran out of fuel just 12 miles from the coast of Lampedusa, the southernmost island of Italy. But Dakha's adventure was far from over; if anything, it was just beginning. They were rescued by a Romanian patrol boat, which transported them to Lampedusa's migrant center. From there, they were transferred by bus from Sicily to Genoa, where they managed to escape and hide in the bushes for hours.

Determined not to let their efforts go to waste, Dakha showed Reuters a plane ticket that took him from Genoa to Brussels, and from there, he traveled by train to Germany, where a relative awaited him. The three Palestinians are now in the final stages of their asylum-seeking journey, having applied for asylum in Germany. However, as of now, they have not received a court hearing date.

Dakha currently resides in an asylum seekers' center in Germany. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Germany declined to comment on his case, citing privacy concerns when approached by Reuters. Dakha's ultimate goal is to secure asylum in Germany and reunite with his wife and two children from Palestine. Over a year later, Dakha's escape saga continues.