African migrant voyage ends in tragedy as dozens drown

At least 70 migrants died on a sinking boat off the coast of Africa while attempting to reach the Spanish Canary Islands, officials said on Friday.

Just 17 people had been rescued alive after the incident on Tuesday, which occurred after people on the boat spotted the coast and destabilised the craft by moving to the shore side.

The rescue operation was mounted by Mauritania at a location some 80 kilometres north of the capital Nouakchott.

One of the coast guard's patrols had been able to rescue 17 people, the official said.

The Mauritanian Coast Guard said the search and rescue operations continue to be active, with rescue teams preparing to dive to conduct checks on the sunken ship.

According to a summary statement of testimony from the survivors, the boat had left The Gambia a week earlier, with as many as 160 people on board, including Senegalese and Gambian nationals.

Drownings are common during the perilous crossing between Africa and Europe, with the combination of strong ocean currents and dilapidated vessels making the long crossing dangerous.

At least 10,457 migrants died while trying to reach Spain by sea in 2024, according to the NGO Caminando Fronteras.

The migratory route from the African coast to the Canary Islands, known as the 'Atlantic route', is considered one of the most dangerous in the world, with thousands of deaths every year.

In 2024, 46,843 migrants arrived in Spain, according to official data.