In Mauritania, a shipwreck has claimed the lives of 25 migrants. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the tragic incident occurred near the capital, Nouakchott, with 190 people still missing and rescue operations ongoing. A Mauritanian coast guard commander reported that they have rescued 103 migrants and recovered 25 bodies.
The wooden boat, carrying nearly 300 people, had set off from Gambia on July 22. The migrants had been at sea for seven days before the disaster struck. IOM stated that 15 people had already died before the coast guard arrived, and another 10, who were in critical condition, later died in the hospital.
A similar incident occurred earlier on July 5, where Mauritanian coast guards recovered 89 bodies from an overturned boat. IOM noted that migrants often attempt to reach the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco. This route from West Africa to Spain is considered one of the most perilous in the world.
