At least 26 people have tragically lost their lives after a boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Senegal. Authorities reported that the wooden fishing vessel, which had over 100 people on board, sank just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) into its journey.
Bereaved families and friends stood by the shore conducting a vigil in anticipation of their next of kin who were still unaccounted for. To date, only four survivors have been saved, and the search operation is still ongoing.
The boat had left from Mbour from which is situated 80 kilometers south, of Senegal’s capital, Dakar and according to the information that was available, it was supposed to land in the Canary Islands that belongs to Spain but is situated off the West African coast.
More recently, many migrants from West Africa especially from Senegal embark on a dangerous and risky journey for Europe. Many are youths looking for refuge from war, hunger, and joblessness, preferring to risking drowning in the Atlantic on their way to the Canaries. Close to 30000 more migrants have arrived in the country this year alone.
Even though Spain is still one of the leading European countries for migrants, the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands is relatively new and more popular than the Sahara crossing and the Mediterranean Sea.
The rising number of migrants prompted Spain’s prime minister to visit Senegal, Mauritania, and The Gambia last month for crisis discussions with West African leaders. Earlier this year, the EU secured a $227 million agreement with Mauritania to strengthen border security, with Spain playing a key role in the negotiations.
SOURCE: BBC
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