Senegal Migrant Boat Disaster Leaves 39 Dead With Just One Passenger Found Alive at Sea
The wooden canoe overturned off Kébémer while travelling towards Spain's Canary Islands; authorities say further passengers remain missing
The death toll from a migrant boat capsize off the northwestern coast of Senegal has risen to 39 following the discovery of additional bodies by emergency services on Monday. Rescuers found one person alive, according to Senegal's Interior Ministry, which said in a statement that search teams had been mobilised to look for further survivors.
The vessel, an uncovered wooden canoe known locally as a pirogue, overturned on Friday, 6 November, off Lompoul, in the Kébémer department north of the capital city of Dakar.
Maritime authorities confirmed that despite extensive search efforts across the area, only one passenger has been rescued alive from the sea so far, while an unspecified number of travellers remain missing.
The Maritime Route and Search Operations
The vessel departed from Saint-Louis in northern Senegal, navigating a highly hazardous maritime route towards the Spanish coast. Emergency response teams spent Monday scouring the coastal waters near Kébémer.
Government officials have not yet confirmed the exact total number of individuals who originally boarded the craft, complicating ongoing efforts to verify how many people remain missing at sea.
Open wooden canoes, commonly known as pirogues, are used by migrants attempting to cross the Atlantic from West Africa towards the Canary Islands. The International Organization for Migration has repeatedly warned about the dangers of unseaworthy vessels and the role of smuggling and trafficking networks in facilitating hazardous crossings.
The Ministry of Interior stated that maritime search operations remain fully active along the northwestern coastline to locate any further casualties.
A Single Survivor and an Ongoing Search
Rescuers found only one passenger alive, according to Senegal's Interior Ministry, which confirmed that specialised rescue teams remain mobilised. The discovery of more bodies on Monday raised the total death toll to 39, up significantly from the 21 victims initially reported on Sunday.
Recovery efforts have been severely hampered by difficult coastal access and strong sea currents carrying victims' bodies southward along a 25-kilometre stretch of the northwestern coastline.
According to Monday's search update, of the 39 victims recovered by emergency responders, 24 had been identified and returned to their families, while 11 awaited formal identification. The four victims found on Monday morning were buried immediately following a collective funeral prayer due to an advanced state of decomposition.
Government Pledges Crackdown on Smuggling Networks
Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye expressed his condolences to the families of those killed in the shipwreck and pledged to intensify efforts against networks organising dangerous migrant crossings.
The Interior Ministry also reaffirmed the government's commitment to combating people-smuggling operations, highlighting stronger cooperation with neighbouring countries as part of efforts to prevent further departures.
On Monday, Interior Minister Mouhamadou Makhtar Cissé visited Lompoul to assess the rescue operations and meet affected families. The ministry also added that the government would provide assistance and support to those affected by the tragedy.
The authorities have also reiterated their commitment to raising awareness among young people about the dangers of irregular migration and improving opportunities for them within Senegal.
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