At least six people lost their lives when a boat carrying migrants capsized off Senegal’s coast over the weekend, a spokesperson for the country’s armed forces reported on Monday.
The vessel, a wooden fishing pirogue, was carrying approximately 100 migrants from the town of Mbour. The boat tragically overturned just 4 kilometers into the journey, as reported on Sunday by local sources. Despite rescue efforts, only four people were saved, leaving many others still unaccounted for.
The spokesperson for the armed forces mentioned that the navy quickly deployed a plane and two boats to intensify the search for survivors and recover bodies. The rescue operations continued throughout Monday, with hopes of finding more survivors fading as time passed.
The migration route from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands remains a perilous yet popular path for those seeking better opportunities abroad. The number of migrants using this route has surged by 154% this year alone, with over 21,000 people arriving in the Canary Islands in the first seven months of the year.
Local authorities have expressed concerns that as many as 150,000 additional migrants from Africa may attempt this dangerous sea crossing in the coming months, putting even more lives at risk.
In a separate incident last Friday, two pirogues carrying 276 migrants were intercepted off Senegal’s coast by the country’s navy, as reported through official communication.