At least 15 people have lost their lives, and over 195 are missing following a boat carrying migrants that capsized near Nouakchott, Mauritania’s capital.
The International Organization for Migration made this announcement in a statement on Wednesday.
In the statement, IOM highlighted that the tragedy occurred amid a rise in migration along the West Atlantic Route.
“A tragic incident at sea has resulted in a significant number of victims, deaths, and missing migrants in Mauritania. IOM reiterates the importance of strengthening efforts to prevent such tragedies and calls for collective action to protect migrants.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of 15 migrants and the estimated disappearance at sea of 195+ people after a boat capsized in Nouakchott.Our thoughts are with the grieving families, and @UNmigration is committed to supporting the survivors,” IOM West African Office wrote on X.
Since the incident on Monday, the Mauritanian coastguard has rescued 120 individuals, including unaccompanied and separated children, according to the IOM.
Rescue operations are ongoing to find the missing.
The migrants had boarded the boat in Gambia seven days prior.
The IOM did not detail the nationalities of the deceased or the cause of the capsizing. CNN has contacted the UN agency for further information.
According to the agency, over 19,700 migrants have arrived irregularly in the Canary Islands via this route so far in 2024, compared to 7,590 during the same period in 2023.
The IOM’s Missing Migrants Project has documented more than 4,500 deaths and disappearances on this route since 2014, including over 1,950 in 2023, marking it as the second deadliest year on record.
Since June 2024, more than 76 boats carrying approximately 6,130 surviving migrants have landed in Mauritania, with at least 190 migrants reported dead or missing, the IOM added.
