20 bodies recovered after migrant boat tragedy en route to the Canary Islands
Mauritanian authorities have recovered around 20 bodies and rescued 17 survivors after a boat carrying more than 100 people capsized in the Atlantic waters off their coast while heading for the Canary Islands, with the remainder still missing.
According to the Mauritanian Coast Guard, the vessel sank near M’haijratt, a coastal area located around 60 kilometres north of Nouakchott, the country’s capital.
Officials have not confirmed the exact number of bodies recovered so far, and search operations are continuing, as it is feared that many more people remain missing.
The wooden boat, commonly referred to as a cayuco, was reportedly carrying over one hundred migrants attempting the perilous Atlantic crossing towards the Canaries. The route, while increasingly used, is considered one of the most dangerous due to strong currents, overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels, and the long distance involved.
In a separate case, five men accused of captaining another cayuco in which three people died after arriving in the Canary Islands are currently standing trial.
This latest tragedy once again highlights the extreme risks faced by migrants making the Atlantic crossing, as well as the ongoing humanitarian and security challenges for countries along the route.
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