A small boat carrying migrants sank off the northwestern coast of Senegal, resulting in the deaths of at least 34 individuals, according to authorities on Sunday. This incident marks the latest tragedy on the perilous Atlantic route from Africa to Europe, which has claimed thousands of lives in recent years as many attempt to reach Spain’s Canary Islands from West Africa.
Initially, the Senegalese interior ministry reported just 21 bodies recovered and one survivor, but by later in the day, the Senegalese Press Agency (APS) confirmed the death toll had risen to 34, a figure also verified by Action for Human Rights and Friendship (ADHA). An indeterminate number of people remain missing.
Reports indicate the boat capsized off the Loumpoul dunes in the Kebemer department, located between Dakar and the northern city of Saint-Louis. However, Saliou Diouf, the founder of Senegal’s main migrant aid organisation Boza Fii, stated that the sinking actually occurred on Friday.
“The bodies recovered are Senegalese,” he added, noting that the nationalities of all victims had not yet been fully confirmed as searches continued.
Senegal’s President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, announced on social media that all state resources had been deployed to find the missing, assist survivors, and support the victims’ families. He also condemned the organisers of these dangerous crossings, stating, “No one should set out with the sea as their only horizon.”
Thousands of West Africans attempt to reach Europe annually on this treacherous route. Senegalese authorities reported intercepting 142 migrants attempting a similar journey on another small boat the day before, which included women and children from Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and Nigeria.
The government’s interior ministry reiterated its commitment to combating people smuggling networks, promising enhanced cooperation with neighbouring countries. Additionally, the interior minister plans to visit the accident site to meet with victims’ families and express condolences.
On the Canary Island of El Hierro, an emergency was declared on Saturday due to a spike in migrant boat arrivals, with over 3,300 individuals reportedly arriving since the start of November. Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco have increased maritime patrols around departure points for small boats, pushing migrants further south towards the coastlines of Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea, which significantly extends the already hazardous journey.
