Senegal: At Least 21 Migrants Dead After Boat Capsizes Off Northwestern Coast

Senegal: At Least 21 Migrants Dead After Boat Capsizes Off Northwestern Coast
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At least 21 migrants have died after a boat capsized off the coast of northwestern Senegal, near the town of Lompoul in the Kebemer area. Search and rescue operations are continuing, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise. Senegal’s Interior Ministry reported that 21 bodies and one survivor had been recovered as of Saturday evening, November 7, 2026.

According to the Senegalese newspaper Le Soleil, the incident occurred off the coast of Louga region, between Dakar and Saint-Louis. The tragedy comes amid continued attempts by migrants from West Africa to reach Europe through dangerous Atlantic crossings, particularly towards Spain’s Canary Islands. In a separate incident, Senegalese gendarmerie intercepted a boat carrying 142 undocumented migrants, including women and children, off the coast of Dakar.

Poverty, unemployment, armed conflicts and instability continue to drive people to undertake dangerous sea journeys in search of better living conditions.