More than 140 dead, missing on refugee boat stranded off Mauritania

A humanitarian crisis unfolded off the coast of Mauritania when a refugee vessel carrying migrants from sub-Saharan Africa reached port with catastrophic losses. The UNHCR reported that the boat had been adrift for 25 days after departing from Bafuloto in The Gambia, ultimately arriving at Nouadhibou with only 38 survivors and multiple bodies on board. Mauritania's coastguard indicated that 122 people were missing from the vessel, which had begun its journey with approximately 160 passengers before running out of fuel.

The tragedy occurred amid a broader pattern of maritime disasters in the region. Between July 14 and 18, three separate rescue operations off Mauritania extracted 387 people from other stranded vessels, yet the scale of loss on this single boat underscored the dangers of the crossing. UNHCR spokesperson Matt Saltmarsh noted that among the survivors were two children who had lost all family members during the journey and were receiving hospital care.

The Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, which form part of Spain, has become increasingly perilous. The UNHCR characterized it as one of the world's deadliest migration corridors, citing overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels combined with vast distances. Mauritania serves as a major departure point, with tens of thousands attempting the crossing annually. However, an EU-funded enforcement initiative has led Mauritanian authorities to deport asylum seekers and migrants, inadvertently pushing departures to longer and more dangerous routes originating further down the coast.