On Monday, authorities reported that at least 17 people died in a shipwreck of a vessel carrying presumed migrants off the coast of Senegal's capital. The bodies were found by the Senegalese Navy, and they are believed to be migrants due to the type of vessel they were traveling in, according to Ndeye Top Gueye, the mayor of the Ouakam neighborhood in Dakar, where the bodies were found.

 

"Due to its size and shape, we know it's a canoe", the mayor stated.

 

While this is the first time bodies have been found in the neighborhood, migrant deaths at sea are becoming common in Senegal, emphasized the mayor. "It is necessary for the government to take action on this matter".

 

The origin, nationalities, and destination of the migrants in the shipwreck are unclear. However, the Atlantic migration route is dangerous, with nearly 800 deaths or disappearances in the first half of 2023, according to Caminando Fronteras. The Canary Islands have become a key destination for migrants seeking to reach Spain, with a maximum of 23,000 arrivals in 2020, according to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.