Shipwreck of Migrant Boat off the Coast of Senegal: At Least 39 Dead
An updated report from the Senegalese Navy has confirmed that at least 39 people have died in the shipwreck of a vessel illegally transporting migrants to Europe on Sunday off the coast of Senegal.
“Thirty-nine lifeless bodies have been recovered between Sunday and Thursday afternoon,” the Navy announced on social media, adding that search operations are still ongoing. A prior report had indicated 26 fatalities.
Local witnesses reported that dozens of passengers were aboard the canoe, which sank just a few kilometers from the port of Mbour (west), shortly after its departure.
This latest tragedy adds to a long history of incidents involving clandestine migration from Senegal, sparking renewed public outrage. In recent years, hundreds of Senegalese have perished while attempting the dangerous Atlantic crossing to reach Europe, primarily via Spain’s Canary Islands, often aboard overcrowded and dilapidated vessels.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was elected in March, visited Mbour on Wednesday evening, calling the situation “unsustainable.” He pledged a “relentless pursuit” of human traffickers and assured the public that the government is working “tirelessly” on policies to combat youth unemployment, while also acknowledging that it will take time for these measures to produce results.
