At least 39 dead after migrant boat capsizes off Senegal coast

A small wooden boat carrying migrants toward Spain's Canary Islands sank off the coast of Senegal, leaving at least 39 people dead and one survivor.

The vessel capsized between the capital city of Dakar and Saint-Louis in the north. While Online Khabar initially reported 21 deaths based on interior ministry data, BBC News later cited the Senegalese Press Agency (APS) in reporting that the death toll has risen to at least 39. One person has been rescued, but the number of people still missing remains unknown.

Saliou Diouf of the migrant aid group Boza Fii told AFP that all bodies recovered by Sunday evening belonged to Senegalese nationals. Search operations are ongoing along a 25km stretch of coastline, though BBC News reports that strong currents are complicating the effort by pushing remains further south. So far, 24 victims have been identified and returned to their families.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye expressed his condolences to the families and vowed to dismantle the networks that organize these dangerous crossings. In a separate incident on Friday, Senegalese authorities intercepted a different boat carrying 142 migrants, including women and infants, from several West African nations.

The New York Times reported that while overall migrant arrivals to Europe have decreased, the Atlantic route continues to claim many lives and overwhelm local officials. On the Spanish island of El Hierro, a state of emergency was declared Saturday following a surge in arrivals. Walking Borders, a migrant rights group, recorded 635 deaths on the route to the Canary Islands between January and May 2026.

Background

The shipwreck occurred along a perilous migration route where thousands of people from West Africa have died attempting to reach Europe. Walking Borders estimates that roughly 21 people die for every 100 who successfully reach the Canary Islands.