Mauritania: The Mauritanian coast guard has recovered the bodies of 89 migrants from a large traditional fishing boat that capsized off the coast of Mauritania.
According to the state news agency, the individuals were on their trip to Europe, when their boat overturned approximately four kilometers (2.5 miles) from Ndiago, a city in southwest Mauritania along the Atlantic Ocean.
Many migrants went missing and the survivors recounted to authorities that the boat had departed from the border of Senegal and Gambia with 170 passengers onboard, leaving 72 individuals unaccounted for. The Coast Guard managed to rescue nine people, including a five-year-old girl.
The Atlantic route is known for its dangerous condition, marked by strong currents and journeys undertaken in overloaded and often unseaworthy boats lacking adequate drinking water. Despite these dangers, the route has become popular due to heightened surveillance in the Mediterranean.
Even though there is the presence of Spanish and Mauritanian patrols along the coast, a significant number of migrants arriving in the Canary Islands this year have departed from Mauritania.
In February, The European Union announced €210 million ($ 227.25 million) to help Mauritania crack down on people smugglers and deter migrant boats from taking off.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the extra funding for migration as well as for humanitarian aid and job creation during a meeting with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
The UN-backed report by International Migration Organisation (IOM) has revealed that ever more migrants and refugees are embarking on dangerous journeys across Africa towards the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, risking kidnapping and even organ theft.
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