After the boat transporting migrants sinks off the coast of Senegal, at least six individuals have perished
A spokesperson for the armed forces of Senegal announced on Monday that a canoe capsized off the coast of the West African nation over the weekend, resulting in the deaths of at least six individuals.
State broadcaster Radio Television Senegalese (RTS) reported that the boat, a narrow, wooden fishing vessel known as a pirogue, capsized after only 4 km (2.5 miles) of navigation. The vessel was carrying approximately 100 migrants from the town of Mbour.
According to RTS, four individuals were rescued, but numerous others remain unaccounted for.
The navy had dispatched an aircraft and two boats to search for the deceased and survivors, according to the spokesperson for the armed forces, who informed Reuters that the search operation was ongoing on Monday.
A frequent migration route is the journey by boat from the coast of West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands.
The European Union border agency Frontex has reported a 154% increase in the number of individuals arriving in the Canary Islands this year, with 21,620 individuals arriving in the first seven months.
Spain, which maintains police presence in the region, anticipates that an additional 150,000 African migrants may attempt the perilous journey in the forthcoming months.
The Senegalese Navy announced in a post on X that two pirogues, which were transporting a total of 276 migrants, were intercepted off the coasts of Senegal by France’s navy, which also has operations in the country.
