25 Days at Sea: 143 Migrants Die on Journey to Europe
A desperate attempt to reach Europe by sea has ended in tragedy after 143 migrants were reported dead following 25 days stranded aboard a vessel off the coast of Mauritania.
The boat had departed from Gambia before becoming stranded at sea. It eventually reached Nouadhibou, Mauritania, where 38 survivors were disembarked and received support from the United Nations refugee agency.
Among the survivors were two children who, according to the UNHCR, had lost all their family members during the journey. The children were recovering in hospital.
UNHCR spokesperson Matt Saltmarsh said the agency did not immediately know how the victims had died, including whether some had succumbed to hunger, thirst or other causes.
The migrants were from sub-Saharan African countries, although the agency did not provide further details about their nationalities.
The tragedy was recorded during three rescue operations carried out off Mauritania between July 14 and 18. In a separate incident, another migrant died after a different vessel reached the country on July 14.
A total of 387 people survived the three rescue operations.
The UN refugee agency said 17 disembarkations had been recorded in Nouadhibou and Nouakchott so far in 2026, with 2,147 migrants and refugees rescued.
Although sea arrivals to Europe along major migration routes have fallen by more than a third compared with the same period in 2025, UNHCR warned that deaths and disappearances at sea remain at alarming levels.
The agency has called for better access to education and employment opportunities in countries of origin, saying safer alternatives are needed to prevent people from risking their lives on dangerous sea crossings.
