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Mauritania rejects migrant boat | Mauritania rejects migrant boat |
(about 9 hours later) | |
A vessel which broke down with several hundred illegal migrants on board is being refused permission by Mauritania to dock or allow passengers ashore. | |
The ship is thought to be carrying mostly Pakistani migrants. | The ship is thought to be carrying mostly Pakistani migrants. |
It was reached by a Spanish vessel on Saturday and towed to within 12km (7.5 miles) of Nouadhibou fishing port. | It was reached by a Spanish vessel on Saturday and towed to within 12km (7.5 miles) of Nouadhibou fishing port. |
Mauritanian Red Crescent and Spanish Red Cross officials said a boat with urgently needed supplies of food and water had been sent to the vessel. | |
"Mauritania has nothing to do with this boat breaking down, nor with taking charge of those on board," said a foreign ministry statement on Monday. | |
Neighbouring Senegal has also said it could not handle the ship. | Neighbouring Senegal has also said it could not handle the ship. |
Canary route | Canary route |
The Spanish foreign ministry earlier reported that Mauritania had agreed to help with the rescue. | The Spanish foreign ministry earlier reported that Mauritania had agreed to help with the rescue. |
There were initially thought to be around 200 people, mostly Pakistani, on board the vessel. | |
An official from the Mauritanian Red Crescent in Nouadhibou, Ahmedou Ould Haye, told Spanish RNE radio there could be as many as 500 migrants. | |
He told the French news agency AFP that the migrants included "200 Asians from Kashmir" as well as Africans. | |
But he did not say if they were from Pakistan or Indian-administered Kashmir. | |
The Mauritanian foreign ministry had earlier said there were 200 Pakistani nationals on board. | |
Senegal and Mauritania are launching points for tens of thousands of African migrants looking to reach Europe, many via the Canary Islands. | Senegal and Mauritania are launching points for tens of thousands of African migrants looking to reach Europe, many via the Canary Islands. |
About 30,000 Africans were caught trying to reach the Spanish island chain last year. | About 30,000 Africans were caught trying to reach the Spanish island chain last year. |
EU patrols are now trying to stem the flow of immigrants. | EU patrols are now trying to stem the flow of immigrants. |