Overview

• A Mauritanian coast guard patrol rescued 17 survivors after the capsize.
• Officials estimate about 160 people were on board, with many from Gambia and Senegal.
• The vessel went down overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday roughly 80 kilometers north of Nouakchott.
• Authorities say recovered bodies have been buried locally.
• The tragedy reflects the dangerous Atlantic route from West Africa toward Europe, with Mauritania increasingly a transit point.