ReutersAccording to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 15 migrants have died and more than 190 are still missing after a boat sank off the coast of Mauritania.
The incident occurred near the capital Nouakchott, where rescue efforts are still underway to rescue people.
The Mauritius Coast Guard said it had rescued 120 people, including four unaccompanied children.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), about 300 people from Gambia spent seven days at sea on a wooden pirogue before it capsized on July 22.
When the Coast Guard arrived, 15 people were confirmed dead and 10 were taken to hospital for emergency treatment.
Iba Sar, a fishmonger at Nouakchott’s fish market, told Reuters that strong winds over the past two days had brought the bodies closer to the shore.
Mr Sar said he saw about 30 bodies being recovered from the beach.
“I’m sure we’ll find other inanimate objects within the next two days.”
The disaster follows a similar incident on July 5, when the Mauritanian Coast Guard recovered the bodies of 89 migrants from a capsized boat.
The IOM said many migrants were trying to reach the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco. The route from West Africa to Spanish territory is one of the deadliest in the world.
According to the charity Caminando Fronteras, more than 5,000 migrants died trying to enter Spain by sea in the first five months of 2024.
According to Spanish government data, 40,000 people arrived in the Canary Islands last year, more than double the number in 2022.
In April, the EU gave Mauritania €210 million (£177 million, $225 million) in aid, of which around €60 million will be used to combat irregular migration to Europe.
