Senegalese authorities on Tuesday intercepted 112 migrants aboard a wooden fishing boat, known locally as a pirogue, off the coast of Dakar as they attempted to cross the Atlantic Ocean towards Europe.
According to Abdoul Aziz Gueye, mayor of Dakar’s Ouakam district, the vessel was spotted drifting without an engine before being reported by local fishermen.
“The fishermen kindly lent them a motor which they used to approach the shores before they were intercepted by the marines,” Gueye said, noting that all those on board were young men.
One of the migrants, speaking from Ouakam beach under the watch of gendarmes, told Reuters that the group had departed from neighbouring Gambia and had spent five days at sea.
Authorities have launched an investigation to establish the origins of the vessel and the circumstances that left it without an engine.
The Atlantic migration route from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands remains one of the most perilous paths to Europe, with migrants often enduring overcrowded, ill-equipped vessels and long journeys in open waters.
Despite increased cooperation between European and West African nations to combat irregular migration, thousands continue to risk their lives each year.
Experts highlight economic hardship, political instability, and the effects of climate change on traditional livelihoods as the driving forces behind the trend.
Senegal has intensified patrols in recent years, but the flow of migrants shows little sign of slowing.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
