UN refugee agency reports 144 migrants dead or missing off Mauritanian coast

The migrants, many of whom were refugees, spent 25 days stranded on a boat from The Gambia headed for Spain’s Canary Islands, highlighting the dangerous nature of this sea route.

Between 14 and 18 July, UNHCR, national authorities and humanitarian partners were present at three disembarkations which brought 387 people safely ashore.

Rescue efforts culminated in an operation on 18 July where teams found 38 survivors and 143 dead or missing.

Among the survivors that day were two children who lost their entire families at sea.

Refugees face dangerous conditions

The Atlantic route between the West African mainland and the Canary Islands is one of the world’s deadliest sea corridors due to long distances, unpredictable ocean conditions, unseaworthy overcrowded boats and limited access to timely rescue, according to UNHCR.

“The incidents highlight the persistent risks faced by refugees and migrants attempting to reach Europe, many of whom are embarking over 2,000 km away from their intended destination,” the agency wrote in a press release on Tuesday.

Arrivals to the Canary Islands dropped by 61 per cent this year compared to the first half of 2025, with 4,400 arrivals by 15 July. Similarly, arrivals to Europe by sea on the major routes dropped from 65,407 last year to more than 40,000 this year.

Still, UNHCR underscored that deaths and disappearances at sea continue at alarming levels, often without significant public attention, and that many boats carrying refugees have vanished at sea.

Call for action

The refugee agency said the recent tragedy off the coast of Mauritania shows the need to address the root causes causing refugees and migrants to flee their home countries.

In the press release, UNHCR urged countries to consider “meaningful and quicker access to legal pathways through higher resettlement quotas, increased labour opportunities and education pathways as alternatives to the dangerous sea crossings.”

Meanwhile, the agency continues to assist with rescues in Mauritania and elsewhere. So far this year, 17 boats carrying migrants have disembarked in Nouadhibou and Nouakchott, Mauritania, with a total of 2,147 individuals rescued.