Mauritanian coastguards have recovered the bodies of 89 migrants after their boat capsized in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday. While nine individuals, including a five-year-old girl, were successfully rescued, dozens of others remain missing.
According to survivor accounts, the traditional fishing vessel departed from the border region between Senegal and The Gambia last week with approximately 170 people on board before overturning off Mauritania’s southwestern coast.
This tragedy highlights the increasing dangers of the Atlantic migration route, where Mauritania serves as a major transit hub for West Africans attempting to reach Europe. The primary destination is typically Spain’s Canary Islands; the Spanish government reported that nearly 40,000 people arrived there last year, which is double the figure from the year prior.
To reach these islands, migrants frequently travel in severely overloaded boats, leading to high mortality rates. The charity Caminando Fronteras estimates that over 5,000 people died attempting to reach Spain by sea in just the first five months of 2024.
In response to the surge in departures, the European Union provided Mauritania with €210 million in aid in April. A significant portion of this funding, nearly €60 million, is designated specifically for efforts to combat undocumented migration to Europe.