Mauritania migrant tragedy highlights deadly Atlantic route amid EU crackdown
The arrival of a fuel-starved boat in Nouadhibou underscores the lethal risks of the Atlantic crossing and the limitations of current border security policies.
At least 143 refugees and migrants are dead or missing following the stranding of a vessel off the coast of Mauritania, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) confirmed on Tuesday. The boat, which departed from Bafuloto in The Gambia, ran out of fuel after 25 days adrift and reached the port of Nouadhibou on July 18 with 38 survivors and bodies on board.
Mauritania’s coastguard reported that 122 people are missing from the initial 160 passengers who boarded the vessel. The UNHCR described the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands as one of the world’s deadliest, citing the long distances involved and the use of overcrowded, unseaworthy craft. The agency expressed that it was “extremely saddened” by the deaths, noting that three separate rescue operations between July 14 and 18 had previously saved 387 people from other stranded boats in the same region.
Among the survivors of the stranded vessel were two children who have lost all their family members during the journey and are recovering in hospital, according to UNHCR spokesperson Matt Saltmarsh. Another death was reported on a different vessel that disembarked in Mauritania on July 14. The dead were from sub-Saharan African countries, though specific nationalities were not detailed.
Mauritania serves as a major departure point for migrants attempting to reach the Canary Islands, which are part of Spain. Arrivals via this route have fallen sharply due to an EU-funded crackdown involving the deportation of thousands of asylum seekers and migrants by Mauritanian authorities. This enforcement has reportedly pushed departures to longer, deadlier journeys from further down the coast.
In response to the tragedy, the UNHCR urged increased access to education and jobs as alternatives to dangerous crossings. The agency highlighted that despite recent rescue efforts, the underlying drivers of migration remain unaddressed, leaving vulnerable populations exposed to extreme risks on the high seas.
