Senegal migrant boat sinking kills 35 as Atlantic route deaths rise

At least 35 people died after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of northwestern Senegal, emergency services confirmed on Sunday. The sinking occurred near the Loumpoul dunes in the Kebemer department, marking the latest mass casualty event on the perilous Atlantic route to Spain’s Canary Islands. Search operations continue for the missing Rescue teams recovered 34 bodies by late Sunday evening, with an additional death confirmed shortly after, bringing the total to 35. Only one survivor has been rescued so far. The Senegalese Press Agency (APS) reported that an "indeterminate number" of passengers remain missing, and the Interior Ministry warned that the death toll is expected to rise as search efforts proceed between Dakar and the northern city of Saint-Louis. The vessel, a traditional flat-bottomed pirogue, reportedly capsized over the weekend. While some media reports cited Saturday as the date of the accident, Saliou Diouf, founder of the migrant aid association Boza Fii, told AFP the sinking occurred on Friday. Officials confirmed that while nationalities of all victims are still being verified, those recovered on Saturday were Senegalese nationals. Regional migration surge triggers emergency This disaster follows a significant spike in maritime departures from West Africa. Spanish authorities on the Canary Island of El Hierro declared an emergency on Saturday, 7 November, after more than 3,300 migrants arrived on approximately 30 boats since the beginning of the…