they threw them overboard because they were too stubborn for example: the slave traders yell to row the boat but they're either tired or to weak to row and since they're either tired or weak they don't row as fast or as much and then the slave trader gets really mad causing him to throw the captives overboard to teach the others a lesson. or he'd throw them over to send someone else a message but #1 was a better example
They threw them to ensure the survival of the rest of the crew and to cash in the insurances of the slaves as cargo.
Explanation:
The Zong massacre happened in 1781. It was a mass killing of more than 130 slaves on the hands of the British crew of the Zong ship, they were part of a syndicate that sailed through the Atlantic slave trade.
During the journey there were some navigational mistakes that lead to a lack of water within the ship, so the crew decided to throw slaves overboard. They would no loose money because it was usual on those times to take on insurance on the lives of the slaves as cargo.