The death toll from the sinking of a migrant boat off Senegal has risen to 39 after rescue services recovered more bodies. The vessel capsized off the town of Kebemer, about 180 kilometers north of the capital Dakar.
The boat departed from Saint-Louis in the northern part of the country and was headed for the Spanish coast. The Interior Ministry initially reported 21 deaths, but the death toll has increased as the search continues.
Only one person was rescued alive. The exact number of passengers has not been established, and several people are still believed to be missing. Rescue teams continue their efforts to search for and recover bodies.
Voyage along the dangerous Atlantic route
The boat was following a widely used route across the Atlantic Ocean, along which migrants from West Africa attempt to reach the Canary Islands and Spain. The journey is made in open wooden boats and covers hundreds of kilometers in open sea.
According to the organization Walking Borders, 635 people died along the Atlantic route during the first five months of 2026. The exact number of victims often remains unknown due to the lack of data on the people on board and on boats that disappear without witnesses.
Call for an investigation
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye expressed his condolences to the families and said that the authorities would take action against the networks organizing the dangerous voyages.
The Senegalese non-governmental organization Action for Human Rights and Friendship has called for an investigation into the state’s migration policy. “It is no longer enough to lament shipwrecks, announce control measures and count interceptions,” the organization said.
Sources: apnews.com, internazionale.it