Mauritania’s coast guard said Saturday it had rescued 227 irregular migrants aboard a boat that set off from Gambia and was intercepted off the coast of Nouadhibou in the country’s northwest.
In a statement, the coast guard said one of its patrols stopped the vessel after a “tragic” sea journey that lasted more than 10 days. It said the passengers, including women and children, were severely weakened by hunger and thirst.
The migrants were of several West African nationalities, including 135 from Gambia and 73 from Guinea, with the rest from Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, according to the statement.
Authorities said the migrants were given medical assistance and food after arriving at the port of Nouadhibou. One Senegalese migrant died shortly after being transferred to a hospital.
Mauritania is a key transit country for African migrants, with the northern city of Nouadhibou becoming a hub in recent years for those attempting sea crossings to Europe.
The country has signed agreements with several European states, particularly Spain, to curb irregular migration and has intensified patrols in recent months, intercepting dozens of boats carrying migrants through its territorial waters toward Europe.