Nearly 150 migrants have died or gone missing off the coast of Mauritania in one week

A new tragedy has occurred on the Atlantic migration route. Some 150 people have died or gone missing while attempting to reach the Canary Islands from the Mauritanian coast.

In the space of a week, nearly 150 migrants perished or disappeared off the coast of Mauritania, according to information available as of July 22, 2026. These men and women were seeking to reach the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago that constitutes one of the main gateways to Europe via the Atlantic coast.

In light of this latest deadly toll, the United Nations has called for strengthening legal and safe migration pathways. The UN is thus reiterating a long-standing demand from humanitarian organizations, which denounce the perilous conditions faced by those seeking refuge on this particularly dangerous sea route.

The Canary Islands route has seen a steady increase in crossings for several years, fueled by the economic difficulties and security crises plaguing West Africa. Shipwrecks are frequent, makeshift boats are often overcrowded, and the distances to be covered are considerable.