- Foreign national
On July 22, 2024, a boat carrying around 300 people sank off the coast of Mauritania, resulting in 15 confirmed deaths and over 160 people missing. The vessel, which had set sail from northern Gambia towards the Canary Islands, capsized just a few kilometers from Nouakchott. Mauritanian coastguards rescued about 120 people, including women and children, and discovered the deceased. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is assisting the survivors and continuing efforts to locate the missing. This incident is part of a larger pattern of deadly migration attempts across the Atlantic, with similar tragedies occurring frequently due to hazardous conditions. The increase in such voyages is attributed to instability in the Sahel and economic hardships in the region.