Mauritanian authorities and local rescue teams recovered a pirogue carrying 156 migrants on Monday off the coast of Nouadhibou, ending a ten-day drift that left the passengers in severe physical distress. The operation adds to a growing number of maritime incidents along the Senegal–Mauritania corridor, a route increasingly used by West African migrants attempting to reach the Canary Islands.
According to initial information from local emergency services, the pirogue departed from the coastal area between Mbour and Djiffer in Senegal and experienced a total fuel failure near Laguerra, north of Nouadhibou. Survivors reported that the four captains on board contacted another vessel in the early hours of the morning and briefly boarded it with assurances that they would return with fuel. They did not return, leaving the passengers without water, food, or any means of propulsion as the boat drifted in open waters.
The group included 146 men, 10 women, and 30 minors. Local authorities noted that several of the minors were unaccompanied and will be processed under child-protection procedures. Women and families have been directed to the established reception facilities in Nouadhibou for medical and social support.
After ten days at sea, the health condition of many passengers was critical. Six people required medical evacuation for stabilization, and rescue personnel recorded widespread cases of dehydration, acute stress, and severe fatigue. Teams from Mauritanian civil protection services, the Red Crescent, and local health units provided immediate assistance upon disembarkation.
The incident occurred as the region confronts another tragedy linked to irregular migration. In Guinea, authorities confirmed that a pirogue carrying a large group of young Guineans capsized off Mauritania’s coast. The current confirmed toll is seven dead, with additional passengers still unaccounted for. Several of the victims and missing persons are from Bonfi, a densely populated district of Conakry that has been heavily affected by recent migration departures.
The two events underscore the continued pressure along the Atlantic migration route and the risks faced by migrants departing from Senegal, Guinea, and other West African states. Mauritanian officials, humanitarian organizations, and regional partners are monitoring the situation closely as rescue operations and identification procedures continue.
