At least 89 migrants and refugees destined for Europe tragically lost their lives, while many remain unaccounted for, as their vessel capsized off the shores of Mauritania, as reported by state media.

The fishing boat overturned in the vicinity of the West African nation's southwestern coastal town, Ndiago, approximately 4km (2.4 miles) from land. The Mauritanian coastguard recovered the bodies of 89 victims and successfully rescued nine individuals, including a young girl of five, according to the state news agency's announcement on Thursday.

Deadly land routes

Several migrants have chosen land travel over perilous sea crossings, potentially resulting in double the fatalities, as per a recent report from the United Nations refugee and migration agencies and the Mixed Migration Centre research group.

The report, unveiled last Friday, highlighted the escalating exodus through regions infested with insurgency outfits, militias, and criminal elements, leading to human trafficking, kidnappings, forced labor, and sexual abuse.

The study, conducted over a three-year span, emphasized that unrest in nations such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Sudan has prompted a surge in the number of journeys towards the Mediterranean.

During the period from January 2020 to May 2024, an estimated 1,180 individuals perished while crossing the Sahara desert, though the actual toll is presumed to be considerably higher, drawing from statements of over 31,000 individuals.

This year alone, a substantial number of over 72,000 people have opted for land routes to the Mediterranean, with 785 reported dead or missing within that timeframe, according to figures from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).