Photo: Collected
At least 34 people have died after a boat carrying migrants bound for Spain’s Canary Islands sank off the coast of the West African country of Senegal. The Senegal Press Agency (APS) reported this, citing a government source.
According to a BBC report, the small wooden boat sank in a coastal area between the capital Dakar and the northern city of Saint-Louis. The boat was heading for the Canary Islands.
Senegal’s interior ministry said one person had been rescued alive. It has not been confirmed how many are still missing.
According to Spain-based migrant rights group Walking Borders, 635 people died between January and May 2026 trying to cross the Atlantic to the Canary Islands. Of the routes the group monitored during that period, this one had the highest death toll.
Saliou Diouf, founder of Boza Fii, an organisation that helps Senegalese migrants, told news agency AFP that all the bodies recovered so far were of Senegalese nationals. The nationality of the other people on the boat has not yet been confirmed, and the rescue operation is continuing.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has expressed condolences to the families of the dead. He also urged the country’s citizens not to risk their lives trying to reach Europe by the dangerous sea route.
In a statement on social media platform X, President Faye pledged stronger action to dismantle the networks that organise such journeys. In his words, ‘We will relentlessly continue our fight against those who organise these dangerous sea voyages. At the same time, we will continue our work to create opportunities for our young people to be hopeful while staying at home.’
By Walking Borders’ estimate, during that monitoring period about 21 people died for every 100 migrants who reached the Canary Islands.
Last Friday, Senegalese authorities intercepted another boat carrying 142 migrants trying to reach Spain. On board were 23 women, two children and two more young children. According to the police, the passengers were nationals of Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Nigeria.
A state of emergency was declared on Spain’s El Hierro island on Saturday due to the rise in migrant arrivals. According to local authorities, more than 3,300 migrants have reached the island in about 30 boats since the start of November.
The Canary Islands are now one of the main destinations for migrants and refugees entering Europe via the dangerous Atlantic route from West Africa. This sea route has grown in importance as border controls have been tightened and cooperation increased between European countries and North African states. As a result, some migrant journeys may have shifted from the central Mediterranean route towards the Atlantic.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), limited job opportunities, family pressure and already established migration networks are factors behind people leaving Senegal.
For many young people in the country, finding work abroad and the chance of higher earnings remain a big attraction. That is why they are even taking the risk of crossing the dangerous Atlantic route in overcrowded boats.
According to Senegal’s statistics agency, nearly one in four young people in the country was unemployed in the second quarter of 2026. This figure has become a major challenge for President Faye’s government. Having come to power in the 2024 election largely on the back of overwhelming support from young people, the government now has to create jobs for them.
In a statement on Sunday, Senegal’s interior ministry said operations against human trafficking networks would continue, and cooperation with neighbouring countries in this work would be further strengthened.
By the numbers
According to the emergency services, more than 3,200 migrants reached the Canary Islands in 39 boats in the first five days of November, nearly equal to total arrivals from January to June; of these, 2,300 arrived on El Hierro alone in 26 boats — Chile’s Emol reported this on 5 November, citing Spanish news agency EFE. The information on the number of people reaching El Hierro differs between sources.
Sources
Background sources: Emol (EFE), 5 November 2026
