A boat carrying mainly Senegalese migrants has capsized off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean. With over 100 migrants on board, the vessel is believed to have set sail from Senegal in early July. The boat was found near the Atlantic island with 38 survivors and multiple fatalities, according to authorities and migrant advocates.
Senegal’s Foreign Affairs Ministry revealed that the coast guard in Cape Verde discovered the boat on Tuesday, approximately 385 miles off the West African coast. Details about the exact timing of the tragedy and the extent of casualties remain unclear.
The boat, described as a large fishing vessel known as a pirogue, left Senegal on July 10th, as reported by the Spanish migration advocacy group Walking Borders. Concerned families from Fass Boye, a coastal town near the capital Dakar, reached out to the group on July 20th after days without communication from their loved ones on the ill-fated boat.
Cheikh Awa Boye, president of the local fishermen’s association, disclosed that two of his nephews are among the missing migrants. Many on board were reportedly seeking to reach Spain, opting for a perilous journey from west Africa.
The route from Senegal to Spain has grown increasingly dangerous, leading to a surge in migrants departing on unstable wooden boats. In the first half of 2023, nearly 1,000 migrants lost their lives while attempting to reach Spain by sea, as reported by Walking Borders.