The boat carrying 300 individuals had left The Gambia and capsized close to Nouakchott, in accordance with UN migration company.
At the very least 15 individuals have died and greater than 150 are lacking after a ship carrying 300 passengers capsized close to Mauritania’s capital Nouakchott, the Worldwide Group for Migration (IOM) stated.
“Roughly 300 individuals boarded a pirogue in The Gambia and spent seven days at sea earlier than the boat capsized close to Nouakchott on July 22, 2024,” the IOM said in a press release on Wednesday.
The United Nations migration company stated 120 individuals had been rescued by the Mauritanian Coast Guard, whereas efforts continued to find the lacking people.
“Among the many survivors, 10 individuals have been urgently referred to hospitals for medical care, and 4 unaccompanied and separated kids have been recognized,” the IOM stated.
Ibba Sarr, a fishmonger at a waterside fish market in Nouakchott, stated that robust winds up to now two days had moved the our bodies nearer to the shore and he noticed round 30 our bodies being collected from the seashore.
“Certainly different lifeless our bodies shall be found within the subsequent two days,” Sarr advised the information company Reuters.
The Atlantic migration route from the coast of West Africa to the Canary Islands, sometimes utilized by African individuals looking for asylum or higher work alternatives in Europe, is without doubt one of the world’s deadliest. Summer season is its busiest interval.
Greater than 19,700 individuals reached the Canary Islands utilizing the Atlantic route between January 1 and July 15, 2024 representing a 160 % improve in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months, the IOM stated.
However almost 5,000 individuals have additionally died at sea within the first 5 months of 2024 making an attempt to succeed in the Spanish archipelago, in accordance with migration rights group Strolling Borders.
Earlier this 12 months, the European Union promised Mauritania monetary assist price 210 million euros ($229m) to deal with migration and supply humanitarian help.
However in accordance with rights teams and migration analysts, the 27-member bloc’s coverage of externalising migration administration by means of such offers is unlikely to discourage people who find themselves fleeing conflicts and financial instability from making an attempt to enter Europe and search asylum.