At least 144 migrants and refugees have been reported dead or missing off the coast of Mauritania after attempting a dangerous sea journey to Europe, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).The deaths were linked to three rescue operations carried out off the coast of Mauritania between 14 July and 18 July. UNHCR said 387 people were rescued, while one incident became one of the deadliest recorded on the route this year. According to the agency, a boat that had set off from Bufaloto, Gambia was rescued on July 18 after drifting at sea for 25 days. By the time the ship reached Mauritania, 143 people aboard had died. When the boat reached Nouadhibou, rescue teams recovered bodies and assisted 38 survivors, where UNHCR provided humanitarian assistance.“The survivors on board that ship included two children, who lost all of their family members during the journey and are recovering in hospital,” said Matt Saltmarsh, a UNHCR spokesman, at a UN briefing in Geneva.UNHCR also reported that another migrant was declared dead on arrival after arriving in Mauritania on 14 July on a different ship. The agency said Mauritania has recorded 17 migrant disembarkations in Nouadhibou and Nouakchott so far in 2026, with a total of 2,147 people rescued. Although crossings into Europe have declined sharply this year, the risks remain serious. UN figures show that more than 40,000 migrants and refugees reached Europe by sea in 2026, compared to 65,407 during the same period last year. However, UNHCR warned that the number of people dying or missing on these routes remains at “alarming levels”.