49 Migrants Die as Boat Capsizes Off Mauritanian Coast

Fishermen stand by a pirogue canoe near Nouakchott in Mauritania. File photo/Collected

At least 49 people have died after a boat carrying migrants capsized off Mauritania’s coast earlier this week, the country’s coast guard said Friday.

Authorities reported that the boat, which had departed from Gambia, overturned on Tuesday morning near the town of Mheijrat.

“The boat left Gambia a week ago with 160 people on board, including Senegalese and Gambian nationals,” said Mohamed Abdallah, head of the coast guard.

“When the migrants saw the lights of Mheijrat, many rushed to one side of the vessel, causing it to capsize,” he added.

So far, 49 bodies have washed ashore and 17 people have been rescued. The remainder are still missing.

Mauritania’s waters have increasingly become a transit route for sub-Saharan migrants hoping to reach Europe, particularly the Canary Islands. In July 2024, a similar tragedy killed more than a dozen migrants, with 150 others declared missing.

The Mauritanian government has tightened controls in recent years and last year signed a €210 million ($225 million) agreement with the European Union aimed at curbing irregular migration.

However, human rights groups have accused the authorities of mistreating migrants during nationwide crackdowns along the coast.

An increasing number of West Africans continue to risk the perilous Atlantic route in search of better opportunities, as economic hardship drives migration.

In September 2023, at least 30 bodies were discovered on a boat off the coast of Senegal’s capital, underscoring the deadly risks of the journey.