Senegal Navy intercepts boat carrying almost 80 migrants off the coast

The Senegalese navy intercepted a boat carrying 76 West African migrants off the coast Monday evening, just before a visit by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to the region, according to AFP citing a statement from the Armed Forces. The migrants, including six women and seven children, were from Senegal, Guinea, The Gambia, Mali, and Guinea-Bissau. The interception occurred 80 kilometers off the coast of the capital, Dakar.

The incident came hours before the start of Sanchez's visit to Mauritania, The Gambia, and Senegal, aimed at stemming the significant rise in migrant arrivals to Spain's Canary Islands. From January to mid-August 2024, over 22,000 migrants reached the Islands, a 126% increase from the previous year. In mid-August, Senegal announced it had launched “joint patrols” leading to the arrest of 453 potential migrants and smugglers. During his tour, the Spanish Prime Minister is expected to seek increased collaboration with West African nations to address the crisis.