A boat carrying migrants and refugees from sub-Saharan Africa ran out of fuel and drifted for 25 days before reaching the port of Nouadhibou, Mauritania, on July 18, 2026. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, reported that at least 143 people are dead or missing from the vessel, which had departed from Bafuloto in The Gambia with 160 people on board.

The UNHCR expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, which occurred despite three rescue operations off Mauritania between July 14 and 18 that saved 387 people from other stranded boats. When the vessel arrived, it carried 38 survivors and multiple bodies. Among the survivors were two children who lost all their family members during the journey and are currently recovering in hospital, UNHCR spokesperson Matt Saltmarsh told reporters in Geneva.

Mauritania's coastguard estimated 122 people missing from the boat. The agency did not provide details on the causes of death. Additionally, another person died on a separate vessel that disembarked in Mauritania on July 14.

This tragedy highlights the ongoing risks faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe by sea amid increasing crackdowns and deportation campaigns in Mauritania.

Sources