The UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) reports that 144 migrants attempting to reach Europe are dead or missing due to a series of “tragic maritime incidents” off the coast of Mauritania last week.
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
