The United Nations said Tuesday that 144 refugees and migrants were reported dead or missing after "tragic maritime incidents" off the coast of Mauritania last week. But 143 people were reported dead or missing on one of the boats, which had departed from Bufalo in Gambia headed for Spain and was rescued on Saturday after nearly 25 days stranded at sea, the agency said. Another death was reported on a ship from which people disembarked on July 14, it said. "The refugees and migrants were reported dead or missing after attempting the perilous sea journey from West Africa towards Europe, highlighting the continued human cost of these dangerous routes," UNHCR spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh told reporters in Geneva. So far in 2026, UNHCR said that 17 disembarkations had been recorded in Nouadhibou and Nouakchott, with a total of 2,147 individuals rescued.