At least 21 dead as migrant boat capsizes off Senegal's coast
A migrant boat has capsized off northwest Senegal, leaving at least 21 people dead. Search and rescue efforts continue, with only one survivor found so far.
At least 21 people have died after a migrant boat capsized off Kébémer, on the northwest coast of Senegal, the country's interior ministry announced on Sunday, 8 November. Boats of this type, known locally as pirogues, are commonly used by migrants from West Africa trying to reach Europe.
The ministry said the pirogue got into difficulty off the Kébémer coast. Search and rescue operations are still under way, and just one survivor has been found so far.
In its statement, the ministry, speaking on behalf of the president and the government, paid tribute to the victims and offered condolences to their families. The government also restated its determination to fight people-smuggling networks and said it would work with neighbouring countries on the issue.
A dangerous Atlantic route
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations agency dealing with migration, says the Atlantic Route is a key pathway for West African migrants heading to Europe, and a perilous one.
Tighter controls at traditional departure points in Senegal, Morocco and Mauritania have pushed some people further south, to countries such as The Gambia. The IOM explains that these alternative departure points can add up to 750 kilometres to the crossing, stretching some journeys to roughly 2,200 kilometres. That means longer periods at sea, more remote and less monitored coastlines, and a higher risk of shipwreck, dehydration and disappearance.
