The Gambian government has expressed deep concern after a migrant boat carrying about 180 people from The Gambia was rescued off the coast of Nouadhibou, Mauritania, with only 38 survivors found while more than 140 passengers remain missing.
Authorities said the vessel spent nearly 25 days at sea before it was intercepted on July 18. Survivors included men, women and children from The Gambia, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Mali.
The Gambian government extended condolences to affected families and said it is working with Mauritanian authorities, the International Organization for Migration and other partners to identify survivors, determine the fate of those still missing and provide consular assistance.
Banjul also urged citizens to avoid irregular migration routes, noting that the Atlantic crossing to the Canary Islands remains one of the world’s deadliest migration routes, with hundreds of lives lost each year.
