89 Migrants Dead as Boat Capsizes off Mauritanian Coast

On July 1, a large traditional fishing boat carrying 170 people capsized off the coast of Mauritania killing 89 migrants with many more still unaccounted for.

Among those rescued was a five-year-old girl. Mauritania, located in West Africa, has become a crucial transit point for migrants attempting to reach European shores. Each year, thousands of vessels depart from its coastline, with Spain’s Canary Islands being the most common destination. The Atlantic route connecting West Africa to Europe is particularly dangerous due to strong currents and unpredictable weather conditions.

“The Mauritanian coast guard recovered the bodies of 89 people aboard a large traditional fishing boat that capsized on Monday, July 1, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean,” the state news agency reported.

The risk is further compounded by overcrowded vessels desperately trying to reach European territory. In the previous year, Spain saw the arrival of nearly 40,000 migrants, a significant increase from the year before. According to estimates from the Ca-minando Fronteras charity, over 5,000 migrants lost their lives attempting to cross the sea to Spain in just the first five months of 2024. A UN-backed assessment highlights that those traversing the Sahara desert from west and east Africa to the Mediterranean Sea risk kidnapping and even organ theft.

These routes are believed to be twice as dangerous as the central Mediterranean route where over 800 individuals have drowned this year alone. In response to this crisis, the European Union granted Mauritania €210 million in aid in April, with a significant portion allocated to combating undocumented migration to Europe.