In a tragic reminder of the growing dangers associated with illegal migration, at least 30 decomposing bodies have been discovered on a wooden boat adrift off the coast of Senegal, military authorities confirmed. The Senegalese Navy was alerted to the vessel, located around 70 kilometers (45 miles) from Dakar, by local fishermen. Upon retrieval, the advanced state of decomposition of the bodies made identification and recovery efforts extremely difficult, according to a military statement.
The boat, a traditional wooden pirogue, is believed to have carried migrants attempting the perilous journey to Spain’s Canary Islands, a route that has increasingly become a lifeline for desperate West Africans fleeing unemployment, poverty, and conflict. The exact number of passengers and the point of departure are still under investigation, but the state of the bodies suggests the boat had been drifting for several days before it was discovered.
This tragedy is part of a growing wave of migrant deaths off the West African coast, as increasing numbers of people undertake the dangerous 1,500-kilometer (950-mile) journey across the Atlantic Ocean in hopes of reaching Europe. The route to the Canary Islands, once a lesser-used pathway, has become more popular due to its direct access to Europe, avoiding the deadly Sahara Desert and Mediterranean crossings. However, it is still fraught with its own life-threatening dangers, and the bodies found drifting on the ocean are a grim testament to the risks migrants face.
Despite the dangers, many feel they have no other choice. For some, like Mandiaye Diène, a boat owner in Dakar, the situation is dire. “We must avoid this type of journey. It is a kind of suicide,” he told the BBC. Fishermen like Diène frequently come across bodies or abandoned boats, as foreign trawlers deplete local fish stocks, leaving many Senegalese without a reliable means of survival. In a country where the fishing industry once sustained entire communities, desperation is driving many to take the treacherous path to Europe, either by migrating themselves or renting out their boats to smugglers.
Bassirou Mbengue, a 50-year-old fisherman, echoed similar sentiments. “It’s dangerous to travel by sea to Europe. I would never do it, and neither would my children. But you can’t blame those who go. There are no fish left on our coasts, and fishing equipment is expensive,” he said. For many, migration has become one of the few options left as economic prospects dim and the promise of a better life in Europe lures people into taking enormous risks.
In response to the growing crisis, Senegal’s government announced a 10-year plan in August to combat illegal migration. Authorities have intercepted hundreds of migrants in recent weeks, attempting to stem the tide of boats leaving the country. However, the problem persists, driven by the systemic issues of unemployment, poverty, and lack of opportunities.
Migration experts, such as Boubacar Sèye, President of the NGO Horizons sans Frontières, argue that these tragedies are no longer isolated incidents but part of a broader structural issue. “Given the recurrence of this type of tragedy, we can say that this is no longer a cyclical phenomenon, but rather a structural one,” Sèye said. He
emphasized that to effectively tackle the problem, interventions must target the root causes in the most vulnerable communities. “To stop this, we need to attack the problem at source, with new ways of raising awareness in the most affected areas,” he added.
Despite the frequent tragedies, young West Africans continue to risk the dangerous route to the Canary Islands, driven by a lack of economic prospects and a sense of despair. The European border agency Frontex reported a 161% increase in Atlantic migration routes in 2023, with nearly 1,000 known deaths or disappearances. However, experts believe the real death toll is far higher, as many bodies are never found.
As this latest discovery off the coast of Senegal highlights, the journey remains perilous, and without significant change, the grim cycle of loss and tragedy is likely to continue. For many, the promise of a better life outweighs the risk, making this migration crisis one of the most urgent challenges facing West Africa today.
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