Senegalese navy has announced that at least nine people have lost their lives attempting to cross the ocean after the boat they were in sank off Senegal's coast.
According to a statement posted on X, the vessel, identified as a pirogue used for "irregular migration," capsized on Sunday near the coastal town of Mbour.
The Senegalese navy initiated a search operation involving three vessels and assistance from a Spanish maritime patrol aircraft. They confirmed the recovery of nine bodies and identified three survivors.
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Local fishermen were also involved in rescuing an unknown number of passengers, though the exact count of those still missing has not been provided.
Eyewitnesses reported that the boat was carrying dozens of migrants, but this information has yet to be officially verified. Senegal's shores constitute a significant departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe, often via the perilous Atlantic route.
Strong currents and overcrowded, unsafe boats make this journey extremely dangerous, resulting in thousands of deaths and disappearances each year.
Over 22,000 migrants have successfully reached Spain's Canary Islands so far in 2024, a figure more than double that of the same period last year.
This incident is a grim reminder of the ongoing risks migrants face in their desperate attempts for a better life.
