Overview

• Authorities report 21 survivors and five missing crew members of Mauritanian nationality after the Tafra 3 went down off Nouadhibou.
• The 105‑meter factory ship Right Whale, flying the Gambian flag, struck the 35‑meter Tafra 3 and opened a large breach on the starboard side as the smaller vessel had cable out, causing a rapid sinking.
• Mauritanian officials opened a judicial investigation, detaining the Right Whale’s captain and first officer, and the coast guard said the captains of both vessels were arrested.
• Rescue coordination is led by Mauritania’s coast guard, with nearby Galician‑linked fishing vessels assisting, and a Spanish Guardia Civil aircraft set to bolster the search, according to the coast guard.
• Survivors are in Nouadhibou receiving assistance and consular support, while questions about the Right Whale’s ownership persist despite its Gambian flag.