The Gambian government has confirmed that more than 70 bodies were recovered after a boat carrying around 150 migrants capsized off the coast of Mauritania on Wednesday, in what is described as one of the deadliest accidents in recent years along the Atlantic migration route.
The vessel, which reportedly departed from Gambia with mostly Gambian and Senegalese nationals, left only 16 survivors, while dozens remain missing and feared dead.
Mauritanian authorities continued recovery efforts on Thursday amid reports that over 100 people may have perished.
The incident highlights the dangers of the Atlantic crossing from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands, one of the world’s most perilous migration routes.
According to the European Union, more than 46,000 migrants reached the islands in 2024, the highest on record, while rights group Caminando Fronteras reported over 10,000 deaths during the journey, a 58% rise from the previous year.
Gambia’s foreign ministry has urged citizens to avoid such dangerous crossings, warning that they continue to claim countless lives.
