The key facts

  • The boat capsized off Kebemer, about 180 km north of Dakar; one person was rescued.
  • Senegal's Ministry of the Interior reported 21 dead, while the Senegalese agency APS reported 34; the death toll is considered preliminary.
  • On Friday, authorities intercepted 142 migrants on a similar boat; a state of emergency was declared on El Hierro due to the influx of arrivals.

Shipwreck off Kebemer

A migrant boat (a pirogue) capsized off the coast of Senegal near Kebemer, roughly 180 kilometres north of Dakar. Senegal's Ministry of the Interior reported on Sundaythat one survivor had been found and the bodies of 21 dead recovered; the death toll was described as preliminary, and search operations are continuing. This was reported by euronews and Deutsche Welle. Later, Deutsche Welle, citing the Senegalese News Agency (APS), put the death toll at at least 34 — meaning the casualty figures differ between reports, and the final count had not been confirmed at the time of publication.

Government statement and route context

The Ministry expressed condolences to the families of the victims on behalf of the president and the government and reaffirmed its 'determination to fight the networks of human traffickers', including through strengthened cooperation with neighbouring countries. The day before, on Friday, authorities intercepted 142 migrants on a similar boat heading towards Spanish territory; on board were nationals of several West African countries. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Atlantic route is a key pathway for migrants from West Africa to Europe: tightened controls at traditional departure points in Senegal, Morocco and Mauritania are shifting departures further south, to countries such as Gambia, which, according to IOM estimates, adds up to 750 kilometres to the crossing (to roughly 2,200 kilometres) and increases the risks of shipwreck, dehydration and people going missing.

State of emergency on El Hierro

At the other end of the route, the authorities of the island of El Hierro (Canary Islands) declared a state of emergency on Saturday due to a sharp rise in arrivals: according to local authorities, more than 3,300 people had arrived on the island since the beginning of the month on about 30 boats. The head of the island council, Alpidio Armas, told Spanish television that the situation at the island's hospital had become 'undesirable'. According to Deutsche Welle, arrivals reached a record 46,000 people in 2024, before dropping sharply due to enhanced surveillance and cooperation with African countries. The population of El Hierro is about 11,400 people.