Mauritanian Interior Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Marzouk has opened a criminal investigation into the sinking of an illegal immigrant boat off the coast of the coastal city of Nouadhibou on their way to Spain.
Marzouk said in a press statement yesterday that the sinking of a boat carrying illegal immigrants, overnight, caused the deaths of 58 people of different African nationalities, and transferred 10 others for medical care for treatment and shelter 85 survivors.
He added that according to preliminary information obtained from some of the survivors, the boat set off from the Gambian capital of Bingol, pointing to the opening of a criminal investigation to find out the networks or people involved in the smuggling operation.
A Mauritanian security source said that the boat hit a rock in the sea, and the water began to enter and disintegrated its engine. "Those on board were not far from the beach, but the strong waves prevented them from reaching the beach." The source continued: «They no longer have living materials, and they became hungry and cold, so they went out and started swimming».
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement that 83 people on board had managed to reach the beach by swimming.
Survivors told MSF staff that at least 150 people, including women and children, were on the boat.
Between 2005 and 2010, the coasts of Mauritania saw the deaths of tens of thousands of African migrants flocking to Spain via the coast of Mauritania, but things have since calmed down, before immigration boats re-emerged in the past few months.The Mauritanian Coast Guard announced the seizure of several boats.
Nouadhibou has a center for illegal immigrants, which has been opened in cooperation with Spain.
- 150 people on
Least, including women
And kids, they were on
Board the boat.