After deadly sinking kills 39, Senegal human rights group demands government action and parliamentary inquiry
Inquiry urged after sinking
The group said announced funding and training had not produced lasting results as irregular arrivals to the Canary Islands increased. ADHA said it was no longer enough to lament shipwrecks, announce measures and count interceptions.
Death toll rose during rescue
Initial reports gave a death toll of 21. As emergency services continued search and rescue operations and recovered more bodies, the number rose first to 34 and then to 39.
Senegal’s Ministry of the Interior and Public Security said the boat carried people seeking to migrate irregularly. The ministry did not say how many people were aboard.
Canary Islands migration toll
Thousands of people have died in recent years while trying to reach Spain’s Canary Islands from West Africa. Migrant rights group Walking Borders reported that 635 people died on the route in the first five months of this year. On Saturday, authorities on El Hierro, one of the Canary Islands, declared an emergency after a surge in migrant boat arrivals.
Key points
- ADHA called for a parliamentary inquiry into the sinking off Senegal’s coast.
- The reported death toll rose from 21 to 39 as rescue teams found more bodies.
- Walking Borders said 635 people died attempting the route in the first five months of this year.
- El Hierro authorities declared an emergency on Saturday following a surge in boat arrivals.