More than 1,000 migrants attempting the dangerous Atlantic route to Europe were rescued off the coast of West Africa in a single week, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has said.
The 1,046 migrants were travelling in seven boats that had departed The Gambia and were bound for Spain’s Canary Islands before becoming stranded at sea, according to an MSF statement issued Monday.
The migrants were intercepted during the final week of August and subsequently taken to Nouadhibou in Mauritania, as well as Rosso and Dakar in Senegal.
The Atlantic migration route, used by thousands of predominantly young people each year, is considered one of the world’s most dangerous migration corridors. Migrants often make the journey aboard overloaded and poorly maintained boats in an attempt to reach Europe through Spain’s Canary Islands.
Many are driven by poverty and increasingly turn to clandestine sea crossings as European countries tighten border controls and restrict access to visas.
MSF said survivors rescued from the boats suffered a range of serious medical conditions, including extreme dehydration, unconsciousness, bone fractures, severe fatigue, and skin, gastric and respiratory infections.
“The psychological impact on the survivors is profound, as many witnessed their loved ones die during the crossing”, the organisation said.
Among those rescued were 134 women, including one pregnant woman, and 88 minors.
Most of the migrants were from Senegal and The Gambia, while others came from Mali, Guinea, Ivory Coast and several other countries.
MSF said many survivors reported experiencing violence both in their home countries and during their journeys along the migration route.
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