2023 deaths on fishing boat off West Africa
Up to 63 migrants died in an incident off Cape Verde involving a pirogue which had voyaged from Senegal departing on 10 July. 38 persons from the boat were rescued on 14 August 2023 and taken to the island of Sal, Cape Verde.
Most of those on board were from the town of Fass Boye (Fass Boue) in Senegal, with two from Guinea-Bissau.
Route.
The vessel set out from Fass Boye, some along the coast northeast of Dakar, on 10 July, intending to head for the Canary Islands, with 101 ('over 120' by one source) persons estimated to have been on board. On 20 July, concerned relatives contacted the Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras / Walking Borders, who in turn alerted the authorities in Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco and Spain. The boat was eventually found, about 150 nautical miles north-east of the island of Sal, by the Spanish fishing boat "Zillarri", operated by the tuna fishing company Pevasa, on 14 August. By then, 45 people were aboard, 38 survivors and 7 dead.
Aftermath.
On Monday 21 August, 37 of the 38 survivors were repatriated from Cape Verde to Senegal. The remaining survivor was insufficiently recovered for travel at that stage. In Senegal, difficult economic conditions and especially dwindling fish stocks were blamed for the disaster.
References.
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External source.
Image of the pirogue during rescue