At least 34 dead as migrant boat sinks off Senegal; El Hierro declares emergency

At least 34 people were killed after a small boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of northwestern Senegal, the Senegalese Ministry of the Interior confirmed. The incident occurred near Kebemer, some 180 kilometres north of the capital Dakar.

The ministry initially reported 21 bodies recovered and one survivor, describing the toll as "provisional" with search operations still under way. Senegalese authorities also intercepted 142 migrants on a similar vessel aimed at reaching Spanish territory on Friday; that boat carried nationals from multiple West African countries.

On Saturday, the ministry underlined the government's "determination to combat people smuggling networks, notably through strengthened cooperation with neighboring countries."

The sinking intensified pressure on Spain's Canary Islands. Authorities on El Hierro Island declared an emergency on Saturday after a sharp rise in arrivals. Alpidio Armas, head of the El Hierro regional council, said more than 3,300 people had arrived on around 30 boats since the start of the month. "We are very concerned... by this sharp increase in arrivals," Armas told Spanish television. "This is precisely what has led us to declare an emergency in order to ensure a framework of cooperation with higher-level institutions." Armas added that conditions at the island's hospital had become "undesirable." El Hierro has a resident population of about 11,400.

The Atlantic crossing from West Africa to the Canary Islands has claimed thousands of lives in recent years. Migrant arrivals on the route reached a record 46,000 in 2024, before falling as surveillance and cooperation with African countries increased.