The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated on Wednesday that approximately 143 irregular migrants are feared dead after a boat carrying about 180 people from Gambia sank off the coast of Mauritania.
According to sea-news.az that according to IOM data, this is the largest tragedy to date on this route.
The organization stated that last Saturday, near Nouadhibou, 38 surviving migrants were rescued by the Mauritanian Coast Guard after the vessel had been at sea for 25 days. One body was recovered, and survivors reported that at least 143 people died.
Among the rescued migrants are men, women, and children from several West African countries. The IOM stated that the tragedy brings the number of recorded deaths this year on the route from West Africa via the Atlantic Ocean to the Canary Islands to 168. This statistic does not yet include two suspected shipwrecks that are still being verified and could claim hundreds of lives.
Silvia Ekra, IOM’s regional representative for West Africa, said: “This incident demonstrates that a decrease in the number of irregular migrants does not mean the route is safer.” She called on countries to strengthen regional cooperation and expand access to safe and regular migration pathways.
