The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Wednesday that a boat with 300 passengers capsized near Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, on Monday.
The tragedy resulted in 15 fatalities and left more than 150 people unaccounted for.
One of the world’s deadliest migration routes is the Atlantic passage from West Africa to the Canary Islands, commonly used by African migrants aiming to reach Spain. This route is active during the summer months.
According to the IOM, the Mauritanian coastguard saved 120 people, of whom 10 were hospitalised. Search operations are still underway to locate the missing individuals.
The IOM stated that the passengers were traveling from Gambia and had been at sea for seven days before the shipwreck occurred.
At a coastal fish market in Nouakchott, fishmonger Ibba Sarr observed that strong winds had pushed the bodies closer to the shore over the past two days. He reported seeing about 30 bodies being collected from the beach.
Ibba Sarr told Reuters by phone, “It is likely that more bodies will be found in the next two days.” He added that the damaged pirogue was discovered 400 meters north of the market.
Reuters did not receive a response from Mauritanian authorities regarding a request for comment.
The IOM reported that more than 19,700 migrants reached the Canary Islands via the Atlantic route from January 1 to July 15, 2024, reflecting a 160% rise compared to the previous year.
In June, the migration rights group Walking Borders reported that nearly 5,000 migrants lost their lives at sea in the first five months of 2024 while attempting to reach the Spanish archipelago. This figure represents an unprecedented level of fatalities.