At least six people have died after a boat capsized off the coast of Senegal over the weekend, according to a spokesperson for the West African country’s armed forces. The incident occurred when a wooden fishing vessel, known locally as a pirogue, overturned after just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) of travel from the town of Mbour.
The vessel was reportedly carrying around 100 migrants at the time of the accident. While four people have been rescued, many others are still missing, state broadcaster Radio Television Senegalaise (RTS) reported late Sunday.
In response to the tragedy, the Senegalese navy has deployed a plane and two boats to aid in the search for both the deceased and the remaining survivors. Efforts are ongoing as of Monday.
The perilous journey from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands remains a common migration route, with a significant increase in attempts this year. According to the European Union border agency Frontex, there has been a 154% rise in crossings, with 21,620 people arriving in the Canary Islands in the first seven months of the year. Spain estimates that up to 150,000 more migrants from Africa could attempt the dangerous journey in the coming months.
In related news, France’s navy, which operates off the Senegalese coast, intercepted two pirogues carrying a total of 276 migrants on Friday, as announced by the Senegalese Navy on X.
