Mauritanian authorities have intercepted a boat carrying 161 migrants who were attempting to reach Spain’s Canary Islands, as departures along the increasingly dangerous Atlantic migration route from West Africa continue.
The migrants were rescued off the Mauritanian coast, north of the capital Nouakchott, on Thursday, August 27, according to the country’s coast guard.
Authorities said all 161 people on board were safe but exhausted after what officials described as a difficult journey aboard an unsafe vessel. The migrants were due to be transferred to a reception centre following the interception.
A Mauritanian official told the Associated Press that the boat’s engine was severely worn out and had stopped functioning, leaving the vessel unable to continue its journey. Supplies of food and water had also reportedly run out.
The boat is believed to have departed from The Gambia, about 600 kilometres south of Mauritania, more than a week before it was intercepted. It was reportedly heading towards Spain’s Canary Islands.
Those on board included nationals of The Gambia, Guinea and Senegal, while 17 children were also among the passengers, according to information reported by the Associated Press.
The latest interception comes amid a series of operations by Mauritanian authorities targeting boats carrying migrants along the West African coast.
Between August 19 and 23, Mauritanian security forces intercepted more than 750 migrants in several operations, highlighting the continued scale of migration attempts towards the Canary Islands.
Mauritania has become an increasingly important partner for European countries seeking to prevent irregular migration from reaching European territory. In 2024, the European Union signed a partnership agreement with Mauritania that included €200 million in funding aimed in part at addressing irregular migration.
The country’s coast guard has consequently taken on a growing role in intercepting migrant boats before they can reach the Canary Islands.
Despite increased interception efforts, the Atlantic route remains one of the world’s most dangerous migration corridors. Migrants travelling from West Africa often spend days or weeks at sea in overcrowded and poorly equipped boats, exposing them to the risk of engine failure, dehydration, starvation and drowning.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said last month that nearly 150 people had died or gone missing in Mauritanian waters while attempting to reach the Canary Islands.
The scale of deaths has remained particularly severe. In 2025, more than 1,200 people were known to have died while attempting the journey along the Atlantic route, according to IOM estimates, although other organisations have placed the figure significantly higher.
Migrant rights organisation Caminando Fronteras has reported that the number of people who have died or gone missing on the Atlantic route in 2026 has already exceeded 1,300.
The continued departures underline the persistent demand for routes to Europe despite the significant risks involved.
Young people make up a large proportion of those attempting the journey, while children are also frequently found among passengers on the boats.
The latest interception therefore highlights both the growing role of Mauritania in European migration-control efforts and the continuing risks faced by migrants attempting to reach Spain through the Atlantic.