Migrant boat capsized – at least 89 dead

At least 89 people have died off the coast of Mauritania, reports the North African country's state news agency.

The authorities believe that 72 people are still missing, based on information from people on board who were rescued by the Coast Guard.

The migrants were traveling in a traditional fishing boat that capsized in the Atlantic about four kilometers from the country's southwestern town of Ndiago.

Strong currents and often unseaworthy boats make the so-called Atlantic route a dangerous path for migrants trying to reach Europe via the Canary Islands.

Nearly 40,000 migrants made it to the Canary Islands in 2023, according to Spanish authorities, a doubling compared to the previous year.