At least two dozen migrants died off Senegal’s northern coast trying to reach Europe, say officials

By BABACAR DIONE
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Officials in Senegal say at least two dozen people have died off Senegal’s northern coast and many others were injured when a boat carrying migrants capsized. The boat was bound for Europe and capsized Wednesday near the town of Saint-Louis, where bodies washed up on shore. The injured were being treated in a hospital in Saint-Louis and an investigation is underway. The route from West Africa to Spain is one of the world’s most dangerous and the number of migrants leaving from Senegal on rickety wooden boats surged last year. Nearly 1,000 people died while trying to reach Spain by sea in the first six months of 2023.