At least 70 people have died after a migrant vessel capsized off the coast of West Africa in the Mediterranean Sea, the Gambian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday, marking one of the most fatal incidents in recent years along this well-traveled route to Europe.
Authorities fear that an additional 30 passengers died when the same boat, reportedly carrying mainly Gambian and Senegalese nationals, sank near the coast of Mauritania early on Wednesday.
The vessel had around 150 people on board, with only 16 surviving the ordeal. Mauritanian officials recovered 70 bodies between Wednesday and Thursday, while eyewitnesses indicated that the death toll could exceed 100.
The Atlantic corridor connecting West Africa to the Canary Islands in Spain is considered one of the most perilous routes for migrants worldwide.
Last year, more than 46,000 irregular migrants reached the Canary Islands, a record according to the European Union.
Human rights group Caminando Fronteras reported that over 10,000 people died attempting the journey, representing a 58% increase compared to 2023.
