The Ministry of Interior hopes the dispute with Mauritania will be settled quickly after 168 migrants were rescued from a cayuco by a Civil Guard patrol boat traveling from Senegal toward the Canary Islands. Several migrants were treated indoors for heat-related health issues, with some experiencing severe dehydration.
The ship remains calm amid the ongoing tension, described by interior sources as a complex conflict that began last Thursday. The rescue operation to bring the cayuco to safety was completed, and the nearest secure harbor within Mauritanian waters was identified as Nouadhibou.
Since then, the Río Tajo patrol boat has anchored off the city, awaiting Mauritanian approval to move the migrants. The Ministry aims not to transfer them to the Canary Islands but to return them, pending resolution of procedures with Mauritania.
Internal sources told EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA from Grupo Prensa Ibérica that the dispute should be resolved within a significant timeframe after all relevant steps were taken and after differences with Mauritania over proper procedures were acknowledged. The Civil Guard has mobilized all available resources to respond to the needs of the migrants, according to the Ministry.
The tense situation aboard the patrol boat has been described as at risk by the United Civil Guard association (AUGC) for the safety of its personnel.
As AUGC explained to Efe, migrants are crammed on board and moments of heightened tension have occurred in the days since the rescue. A faction called for a hunger strike while others chose not to participate.
Officials indicated that maintaining order on the ship required constant attention, with agents taking breaks only to eat and ensure no one goes without food. The operation remains delicate, and concerns about the vessel’s capacity to uphold safety and hygiene persist.
AUGC underscored the urgency of securing a swift, practical solution from Interior to safeguard the crew and the migrants while navigating the diplomatic and legal steps involved. [CITATION: AUGC spokesperson via Efe]