This archive report was first published on 5 December 2019.
Published on December 5, 2019, a tragic incident unfolded off the coast of Mauritania, where a migrant vessel sank, resulting in the loss of dozens of lives.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the vessel was carrying migrants from The Gambia, who were attempting to reach Spain.
"At least 58 people are confirmed dead after a vessel carrying migrants sank as it approached the coast of Mauritania," the IOM said in a statement.
Survivors of the incident told the IOM that the boat left The Gambia on November 27, and there were at least 150 people aboard when the craft went down, including women and children.
"Unfortunately, we counted 58 dead," Mauritania's interior ministry said, adding that 10 survivors needed emergency medical treatment.
Those in need of treatment were transported to a hospital in Nouadhibou, where a doctor described the survivors as "exhausted, starving, their morale at zero".
As the situation unfolded, Mauritanian authorities contacted their Gambian counterparts, and the country's ambassador is expected to visit Nouadhibou.
