At least 39 people have died after a migrant boat heading for Spain overturned off northwestern Senegal, as the search continues and a local rights group calls for an investigation.
The boat left Saint-Louis, in northern Senegal, and overturned near Kébémer, about 180 kilometres north of Dakar. Senegal’s Interior Ministry first reported 21 deaths and said one passenger had been rescued. The reported death toll rose as more bodies were found.
Officials have not said how many people were on the boat. Several passengers are still believed to be missing. Action for Human Rights and Friendship (ADHA) called on Senegal’s National Assembly to review how the government has handled irregular migration.
The group said existing measures have not stopped deadly crossings. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye offered condolences to the victims’ families. He pledged action against the networks arranging these journeys.
The boat was travelling on a dangerous Atlantic route used by people trying to reach Spain’s Canary Islands. Migrant-rights group Walking Borders reported 635 deaths on the route in the first five months of 2026. The rising death toll shows how dangerous the crossing is.
The search’s outcome and whether there will be a formal inquiry remain uncertain.