Tragedy struck off the coast of Mauritania as at least 89 migrants lost their lives when their boat capsized on Monday. The Mauritanian state-run news agency reported that the Mauritanian Coast Guard recovered the bodies of the migrants from a large traditional fishing boat that had overturned. Among the victims were nine individuals, while miraculously, nine people, including a 5-year-old girl, were rescued.
The incident occurred approximately 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) off the coast in the Atlantic Ocean, near the city of Ndiago in southwest Mauritania. The ill-fated boat had departed from the Gambia-Senegal border six days prior, carrying an estimated 170 migrants who were bound for Europe, as recounted by survivors.
It is a grim reminder of the dangers faced by thousands of West African migrants who embark on treacherous journeys across the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea in pursuit of better opportunities in Europe each year. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) highlighted the extreme risks associated with crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a 2024 report, citing the lengthy and perilous nature of the journey. Migrants often find themselves stranded at sea for extended periods aboard inadequate vessels in regions of the Atlantic lacking dedicated rescue operations.
