Mauritanian coast guards have rescued about 260 migrants from two boats off the coast of Nouakchott after the vessels spent about seven days at sea, according to Mauritanian authorities.
The migrants were rescued on Sunday after the two boats were spotted offshore near Nouakchott’s fish market, with the vessels reportedly having departed from Banjul, The Gambia.
The Mauritanian Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy said the coast guards intercepted the boats during a surveillance and rescue operation in waters under Mauritanian jurisdiction.
A breakdown of those rescued showed that 132 were Senegalese, 120 were Gambians, four were from Guinea, two were Nigerians and two were Malians.
The group comprised 180 men, 61 women and 17 children, according to the ministry’s figures.
The rescue comes amid growing concerns over dangerous migration routes across the Atlantic, particularly as migrants from West Africa attempt to reach Europe through the Canary Islands.
The latest boats had spent about a week at sea before being intercepted, highlighting the risks faced by migrants travelling in makeshift vessels over long distances.
The operation also comes days after authorities in the Canary Islands warned of changes in Atlantic migration routes, with departure points increasingly shifting towards countries further south of the traditional routes.
A report presented by the Canary Islands government on September 22 recorded 5,163 people arriving in the archipelago by sea as of August 31, compared with 12,126 during the same period in 2025.
Although the figures represented a decline of more than 57 per cent, the report warned that lower arrival numbers did not necessarily mean migration flows had fallen, as departure routes were changing.
Gambia, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau were identified as increasingly important departure points for Atlantic crossings, with some journeys stretching close to 2,000 kilometres.
The longer journeys expose migrants to prolonged periods at sea in overcrowded and often poorly equipped boats, increasing the risk of deaths and disappearances.
Mauritania has recorded several major migrant rescue operations this year. In August, more than 300 migrants were rescued after their wooden boat, which had departed from The Gambia, drifted off the coast of Nouadhibou.
The latest rescue adds to concerns over the humanitarian dangers associated with the Atlantic migration route, where migrants attempting to reach Europe face prolonged sea crossings, overcrowded vessels and unpredictable weather conditions.
Mauritanian authorities said the rescued migrants were taken into care as part of the country’s maritime rescue and protection responsibilities.
