The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported that 144 refugees and migrants are dead or missing following a series of maritime tragedies off the coast of Mauritania, underscoring the dangers of the increasingly deadly Atlantic migration route from West Africa to Europe. According to UNHCR, three rescue and disembarkation operations were carried out between July 14 and July 18 in the Mauritanian port city of Nouadhibou, bringing 387 people of various sub-Saharan African nationalities safely ashore. The deadliest incident involved a boat that departed from Bufalo, The Gambia, bound for Spain’s Canary Islands. The vessel reportedly spent nearly 25 days adrift at sea before being rescued on Saturday. Of the passengers on board, 143 people were reported dead or missing, while only 38 survivors were rescued.
Among those rescued were two Senegalese children who lost all of their family members during the journey, highlighting the devastating human toll of irregular migration across the Atlantic. In a separate rescue operation conducted the same day, 179 migrants were safely brought ashore in Nouadhibou. Another rescue mission on July 14 saved 170 people, although one person was confirmed dead. UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh said the latest tragedies demonstrate the continued risks faced by refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous sea crossing from West Africa to Europe. He described the Atlantic route to Spain’s Canary Islands as one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors because of the vast distances involved, unpredictable weather, overcrowded and unseaworthy boats, and limited access to timely search-and-rescue operations.
Although the number of migrants reaching Europe has declined significantly this year, UNHCR warned that fatalities at sea remain alarmingly high. Many boats disappear without trace, leaving families without answers about the fate of their loved ones. As of July 15, approximately 4,400 migrants had arrived in the Canary Islands, a 61 percent decrease compared with the same period in 2025. Despite the decline in arrivals, the Atlantic route continues to claim hundreds of lives each year. UNHCR said 17 rescue and disembarkation operations have been conducted in Nouadhibou and Nouakchott so far in 2026, resulting in the rescue of 2,147 people. The agency called for greater international cooperation to address the root causes of irregular migration, including conflict, poverty, unemployment and climate-related challenges, while expanding safe and legal migration pathways to reduce the number of people risking their lives at sea.
