A vessel carrying migrants to Europe suffered a tragic event off Senegal’s northern coast on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, resulting in the loss of at least 24 lives. This incident underscores the hazards endured by those attempting to flee poverty and joblessness.
In a statement to the press, Alioune Badara Samb, Governor of Senegal’s Saint Louis region, mentioned that the boat encountered issues in an infamous stretch of the northern coast known for its powerful currents and deep mud. The subsequent search and rescue operation led to the recovery of 24 deceased individuals, while 21 were fortunately saved from the Atlantic.
Witness accounts indicate that the boat may have been carrying over 300 people, but the exact number remains unknown. Survivors like Mamady Dianfo from Casamance in the south, and Alpha Balde, estimate that the vessel set sail from Senegal with between 200 to 300 passengers on board about a week prior. The vessel had made it as far as Morocco before it got lost and was forced to return to Senegal, an unfortunate choice that ended in tragedy.
According to the European Union border agency, Frontex, the majority of migrants arriving on the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago in the Atlantic and a common entry point to Europe, originate from Senegal and Morocco. The journey is fraught with risk, as noted by the Spanish Non-Governmental Organization Caminando Fronteras, which reported that over 6,600 migrants either died or disappeared while attempting to reach Spain in the previous year, with the Atlantic route being the most deadly.
Senegal’s President Macky Sall expressed deep regret over the incident and assured the nation that authorities were ready to provide the necessary support and assistance.
Political tension has been escalating in Senegal due to the deferral of elections initially planned for February by the president, which has resulted in deadly protests. Although elections are now tentatively scheduled for June, there’s uncertainty about the president, whose term should end in April, stepping down.
A mix of factors, such as high youth joblessness, political instability, and climate change effects, drive migrants to undertake these perilous journeys on overcrowded boats.