At least 21 dead after boat carrying migrants sinks off Senegal coast

At least 21 people have been killed after a boat carrying migrants sank off Senegal’s coast, the country’s interior ministry said on Sunday. The ministry said in a post on X that as of Saturday evening one person had been found alive, and that teams had been mobilised to continue searching for any more possible survivors. It did not specify how many people were believed to have been on board. 

The relevant government agencies are mobilised to continue the search, rescue any possible survivors, and support the families. “The government  reaffirms its determination to combat human smuggling networks, notably through strengthened cooperation with neighboring countries. It calls for vigilance in the face of the dangers of irregular migration and reiterates its commitment to helping young people integrate into society,” the ministry said in a post on X. 

The minister will visit the site on Monday, November 9, to convey the State’s compassion and solidarity to the victims’ families and the affected communities, it added.

Similar incidents: 109 migrants, including 15 children killed after boat capsizes off Djibouti 

At least 109 migrants, including 15 children have been killed after a boat with 305 on board capsized off the coast of Djibouti in east Africa. The boat was travelling from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized on Thursday night or Friday morning, the International Organisation for Migration said on Sunday.  As per IOM, 52 men, 42 women and 15 children died and over 80 people survived the accident. Tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa travel through Djibouti and across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait towards the Gulf countries, in search of safety and economic opportunities, said the IOM in its statement. That movement has continued despite violence in Yemen.

“This is a devastating loss of life,” said Alexandre Coissac, IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti. “This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities,” he said. 

Meanwhile, lots of people are fleeing war-torn Yemen and seeking safety across the Red Sea in Djibouti, with the UN migration agency warning that more Yemenis are ready to make the crossing by boat. More than 2,000 Yemenis are currently in Djibouti, where the country’s government and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) are providing food and shelter. Yemen’s internationally recognised government and Saudi Arabia have been battling the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for 12 years.  

–With AP Inputs. 

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109 migrants, including 15 children killed after boat capsizes off Djibouti en route to Yemen