Dakar (AFP) - At least 21 people died when a boat carrying migrants sank off Kepemer in northwestern Senegal, as searches for survivors continue, according to authorities.

Published on: 08/11/2026 - 13:09

For years, thousands of West Africans, most of them young men, have been trying to reach Europe irregularly across the Atlantic Ocean, especially through the Canary Islands archipelago, with boats loaded beyond their capacity and often dilapidated.

A statement by the Senegalese Ministry of the Interior said, "By the evening of November 7, 2026, the non-final toll indicates 21 bodies and one survivor."

The statement pointed out that "the relevant state agencies are on alert to continue search and rescue operations for any survivors and to support the families."

The Minister of Interior will inspect the site on Monday.

Le Soleil newspaper reported that the boat sank off the town of Lomboul, located in the Louga region of Capemir Province, between Dakar and Saint-Louis.

According to the newspaper's estimates, the majority of the victims come from the Leona and Tepe regions of Kepemere.

Addressing smuggling networks

The Senegalese Gendarmerie announced on Saturday the interception of 142 irregular migrants off Dakar, including women and children, as they attempted to reach Spain on a boat.

The operation was carried out on Friday “as part of the security operation accompanying” the Youth Olympic Games hosted by Dakar, which is the first Olympic event ever organized in Africa.

According to the Senegalese police, among the people who were intercepted were 40 Senegalese, including four women, and 93 Gambians, including 17 women, in addition to two Nigerians, two Guineans, and a citizen of Guinea-Bissau.

In an effort to escape the conflict raging in their country, as in Mali, or to escape the power of the ruling military councils, or in search of a better future in the face of poverty and lack of prospects in their country, thousands of young people in West Africa have been resorting to irregular migration for years, especially towards Europe.

Thousands of people have died or gone missing in recent years while trying to migrate to Europe by these means.

At the end of October, the “Action for Human Rights and Friendship” organization called on Senegal to take action in the face of the “dangerous” and continuing flow of migrants towards Europe, after “about a thousand” migrants from West Africa arrived in the Spanish Canary Islands on the 22nd and 23rd of that month.

The Senegalese Ministry of Interior's statement stressed that "the government reaffirms that it is determined to confront smuggling networks, especially by strengthening cooperation with neighboring countries."

The recent tightening of maritime controls by Senegal, Mauritania and Morocco has prompted migration boats heading to the Canary Islands to set off from locations further south, on the coasts of Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Guinea, prolonging these dangerous journeys.

© 2026 AFP

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