Boat people drown off West Africa

The London News.Net
Wednesday 7th November, 2007

At least 47 people trying to reach European waters have died of cold and thirst after their boat ran aground on the coast of Mauritania in western Africa.

Police in Mauritania say they found the bodies of 42 people in the sea off the northern port of Nouadhibou.

Coast guards were able to rescue nearly 100 people from the water.

The survivors are said to be exhausted and sick after spending more than two weeks at sea without enough food or drinking water.

The authorities believe the boats carrying Senegalese, Gambians and Malians set off from Senegal and were trying to reach the Spanish island of Fuerteventura.

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