15 people dead, more than 195 missing after boat carrying migrants capsizes off Mauritania

CNN — 

At least 15 people have died and more than 195 are missing after a boat carrying migrants capsized near Mauritania’s capital Nouakchott, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Wednesday.

The Mauritanian coastguard has rescued 120 people since the boat capsized Monday, including unaccompanied and separated children, according to IOM.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of 15 migrants and the estimated disappearance at sea of 195-plus people after a boat capsized in Nouakchott,” IOM’s West and Central Africa office said on X.

Rescue efforts are underway to locate the missing.

The passengers boarded the boat in Gambia seven days ago. IOM didn’t specify the nationalities of the dead or how the boat capsized. CNN has reached out to the UN agency for details.