The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says at least 144 migrants died or went missing off the coast of Mauritania last week while attempting to reach Europe through the Atlantic migration route.
The agency said rescue operations carried out between July 14 and 18 in Nouadhibou saved 387 people. One of the boats, which had departed from Bufalo in The Gambia, drifted at sea for nearly 25 days, leaving only 38 survivors while 143 others are presumed dead or missing.
Among the survivors are two children who lost all their family members during the journey.
The UNHCR described the Atlantic route to Spain’s Canary Islands as one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors, citing long distances, overcrowded boats, harsh ocean conditions and limited access to rescue services.
Although arrivals in the Canary Islands have fallen by 61 percent this year compared with 2025, the agency warned that refugees and migrants continue to face life-threatening risks, with many beginning their journey more than 2,000 kilometres from their intended destination. Since the start of the year, more than 40,000 people have arrived in Europe by sea.
