World News
Mauritanian coast guard intercepts migrant boat carrying 161 people
A vessel traveling toward Spain's Canary Islands was stopped off the coast of Mauritania after running out of power and supplies.
The short version
- The Mauritanian coast guard intercepted a boat carrying 161 migrants, including 17 children, off the coast near Amhijrat.
- Passengers from Senegal, Guinea, and Gambia had departed from Banjul, Gambia, eight days earlier in an effort to reach the Canary Islands.
- The vessel stopped at sea due to depleted food and water supplies and an inoperable engine; passengers are slated for transfer to a reception center in Nouakchott.
Key facts
- Mauritania's coast guard intercepted a migrant vessel with 161 people aboard near the village of Amhijrat, north of Nouakchott.[Associated Press]
- The vessel carried passengers from Gambia, Guinea, and Senegal, including 17 children, and had departed Banjul eight days prior targeting Spain's Canary Islands.[Associated Press]
- An immigration official speaking anonymously reported that the boat came to a halt because its engine failed and the passengers lacked food and water.[Associated Press]
- Authorities plan to move the 161 migrants to a reception facility in Nouakchott.[Associated Press]
- The International Organization for Migration reported at least 1,200 deaths along the West Africa-Atlantic route to the Canary Islands in 2025.[Associated Press]