At least 300 migrants from Senegal are reported missing at sea by an NGO
Many Senegalese families are worried about the disappearance of three boats with at least 300 migrants on their way to the Canary Islands. The boats left Kafountine in southern Senegal 15 days ago.
Two weeks without news. At least 300 migrants on board three boats transporting them from Senegal to the Canary Islands have disappeared, the migrant aid association Walking Borders reported on Sunday, July 9.
Two boats, one with about 65 people and the other between 50 and 60 people, have been missing for 15 days since they left Senegal to try to reach Spain, Helena Maleno told Reuters. from Walking Borders.
A third boat left Senegal on 27 June with around 200 people on board.
The three boats left Kafountine in southern Senegal, about 1,700 kilometers from Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands.
Families “very concerned”
The families of those on board have not heard from them since their departure, Helena Maleno also said.
“The families are very worried. There are about 300 people from the same region in Senegal. They left because of the instability in Senegal,” said Helena Maleno.
One of the deadliest migration routes in the world
The Canary Islands, off the coast of West Africa, have become the main destination for migrants trying to reach Spain, with a much smaller number also seeking to cross the Mediterranean to reach mainland Spain. Summer is the busiest time for all attempted crossings.
The Atlantic migration route, one of the deadliest in the world, is usually used by migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. At least 559 people, including 22 children, died in 2022 trying to reach the Canary Islands, according to data from the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Reuters
