Mauritania’s coast guard says at least 49 die when a boat carrying migrants capsized this week

NOUAKCHOTT Mauritania AP At least people have died when a boat carrying settlers capsized this week the Mauritanian coast guard explained Friday Bureaucrats explained the boat came from Gambia and capsized Tuesday morning off the coast of Mheijrat The boat left Gambia a week ago and had people on board including Senegalese and Gambian nationals Mohamed Abdallah the head of the coast guard recounted The Associated Press When the foreigners saw the lights of the Mheijrat they tried to move to one part of the boat causing it to capsize Abdallah stated The official declared bodies have washed ashore and just people were rescued so far The others remain missing the official noted In contemporary years Mauritania s waters have become a highway for asylum seekers across sub-Saharan Africa seeking to reach Europe primarily the Canary Islands In July a similar episode killed more than a dozen foreigners on their way to Europe off Mauritania with others declared missing The country s officials have tightened control and expulsion measures for movers Last year it signed a million-euro deal million with the European Union in a deal aimed at deterring newcomers from using the country to get to the European Union Mauritania has also been accused of abuse towards newcomers who are transiting through the country in a nationwide coastal crackdown according to human rights groups An increasing number of West African refugees have been trying to reach Europe via the perilous Atlantic coast path in search of a better life as economic opportunities dwindle across the region In September last year at least bodies were unveiled on a boat off the coast of the Senegalese capital Adetayo contributed to the document from Lagos Source