Photo credit: Dawn
At least nine people have died after their pirogue sank off the coast of Senegal.
RFI reports that this is the latest migration-linked tragedy to occur in West Africa.
The Navy said, “The pirogue was “involved in an irregular immigration” and capsized on Sunday off the coast of the western town of Mbour.
A Senegalese man, Cheick, who knew twenty people in the boat, added, “What is happening in Mbour is disastrous.
“The losses are enormous. We cannot imagine young people, not even 30 years old, who have died.”
The progue had at least 150 passengers on board.
According to the navy, it launched a search involving three vessels and a Spanish maritime patrol aircraft.
It said, “Nine lifeless bodies were discovered, and three survivors were identified. An unknown number of people have been rescued by local fishermen.”
