At least 69 people have lost their lives and dozens more remain unaccounted for after a packed canoe carrying migrants capsized off Mauritania’s coast, officials have confirmed.
Seventeen survivors were pulled from the water, while rescue teams continue to scour the area around 60km north of Nouakchott. Divers are preparing to inspect the sunken vessel.
The dugout canoe had set off from The Gambia six days earlier with around 160 people on board, mostly Gambian and Senegalese nationals, bound for Spain’s Canary Islands. Survivors said the boat tipped over after passengers rushed to one side on spotting coastal lights late Tuesday night.
The Atlantic crossing has become a perilous route for thousands of African migrants desperate to reach Europe. Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canaries last year alone, but rights groups estimate more than 9,000 died on the way.
“This is one of the gravest tragedies of the summer,” said Helen Maleno from Caminando Fronteras, urging Mauritanian authorities to intensify the search.
The disaster comes just days after Human Rights Watch accused Mauritanian security forces of abusing migrants, allegations it says have worsened under a deal with the EU and Spain to curb dangerous crossings.
