Migrant boat sinks off Senegal, 21 killed
DAKAR: A boat carrying migrants sank off northwestern Senegal, killing at least 21 people in the latest tragedy along the dangerous Atlantic route from Africa to Europe, authorities said.
A boat carrying migrants sank off northwestern Senegal on Saturday, resulting in at least 21 fatalities, according to the Senegalese Interior Ministry. Only one person was rescued, and the death toll is still provisional as of late Saturday. The search for survivors is ongoing, and the families of the victims are being assisted.
The sinking occurred off the Loumpoul dunes in Kebemer department, situated between Dakar and the northern city of Saint-Louis. Most of the victims were reportedly from the Leona and Thieppe districts within the same department. On Saturday, Senegalese authorities intercepted 142 migrants, including women and children, aboard a small boat attempting to reach Spain.
In recent years, thousands of people from West Africa have perished while attempting to reach Europe via the perilous Atlantic route, aiming for Spain's Canary Islands.
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