On Saturday, 6 June 2026, the Mauritanian Coast Guard intercepted a migrant boat off the coast of Nouakchott. The vessel was carrying 193 people, most of them Gambians.
Investigations revealed that the journey began in Faraba Banta, but the group later moved to Foni Berifet after increased security presence made their original departure point unsafe. From there, the boat set off for Spain at around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, 30 May.
Among the passengers were 184 Gambians, six Senegalese, one Nigerian, one Sierra Leonean, and one Beninese. The group included 154 men, 27 women, and 12 minors—seven of them children. One man was evacuated to hospital with injuries, while one woman tragically died during the journey. Her identity had not yet been confirmed at the time of reporting.
The interception ended a dangerous voyage across the Atlantic, underscoring the risks faced by migrants seeking new lives in Europe.
