The UN’s migration agency said that at least fifty eight (58) people, including women and children, have died after a migrant boat carrying dozens of dozens of people capsized in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of the West African nation of Mauritania.

The perilous sea passage from West Africa to Europe was once a major route for migrants in search of greener pastures. The sinking is one of the deadliest incidents since the mid-2000s, when Spain increased patrols and fewer migrant boats attempted the journey.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement that the boat carrying at least 150 people had shortage of fuel while approaching Mauritania.

It also stated that eighty three (83) people swam to shore. Mauritanian authorities in the northern city of Nouadhibou were helping the survivors, according to the IOM statement.

Survivors said the boat had left the Gambia on 27th November, 2019.

A yet to be known number of injured migrants were taken to a hospital in Nouadhibou.

<blockquote>The Mauritanian authorities are very efficiently coordinating the response with the agencies currently present in Nouadhibou,</blockquote> said Laura Lungarotti, chief of mission in Mauritania with the migration agency.

Flavision has not received any immediate statement from the Gambian authorities, a small West African nation from which the migrants set off their unsuccessful journey to Europe.

Even though West Africa is home to some of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, it is struggling to generate enough jobs for its growing population of young people.

Despite the Gambia’s small size, over thirty five thousand (35,000) Gambian migrants entered Europe between 2014 and 2018, according to the IOM. The 22-year long oppressive rule by then-President, Yahya Jammeh, severely affected the country’s economy, especially for the country’s young people, prompting some to make that dangerous decision of perilous migration to Europe.

Since Jammeh was voted out of office in 2016 and fled into exile in January 2017, European countries have been pushing to return asylum seekers, but the country’s economy is still struggling.

Gambia, a popular tourist destination, was shaken earlier this year by the collapse of British travel company, Thomas Cook.

At the time of the collapse, the Gambia’s tourism minister said the government convened an emergency meeting regarding the issue. And some Gambians said the shutdown could have a devastating impact on the country’s tourism, which contributes more than 30 percent of the country’s GDP.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.