Nouakchott: A boat capsized off the coast of Mauritania, leaving at least 69 people dead and around 100 more missing, according to the country's coastguard.

According to Emirates News Agency, the boat had left The Gambia six days before Tuesday's accident with about 160 people on board. The passengers were primarily from The Gambia and Senegal.

A Mauritanian official stated that the migrants aboard the vessel moved to one side of the boat upon seeing the lights of a town 80 kilometers north of Nouakchott, which led to the boat capsizing.