Mauritania’s Coastguard has announced the rescue of 227 irregular migrants off the coast of Nouadhibou following a major operation triggered by the discovery of a distressed boat last Wednesday. Authorities say the vessel departed The Gambia in early November before running into difficulty along the treacherous Atlantic route.
Emergency medical support was provided to those onboard, stabilizing most of the rescued migrants. However, fifteen people in critical condition were transferred to a hospital in Nouadhibou for advanced treatment. Medical officials later confirmed that one migrant died shortly after arrival.
The rescue underscores the growing dangers along the Atlantic migration corridor, where overcrowded and unseaworthy boats continue to put lives at risk. Nouadhibou, located near key maritime routes, remains a major interception point for migrant vessels heading toward the Canary Islands.
Mauritanian authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening surveillance and rescue operations as irregular migration intensifies in the region. They emphasized that expanded patrols will continue in the northern coastal zone, one of the most frequently used migration pathways toward Europe.
