By Senegalese authorities intercepted 112 migrants aboard a long wooden fishing boat known as a pirogue, off the coast of Dakar on Tuesday as they attempted to reach Europe via a perilous Atlantic Ocean route, officials said.
Abdoul Aziz Gueye, mayor of Dakar’s Ouakam district, said local fishermen alerted authorities to a drifting wooden pirogue, which lacked an engine.
“The fishermen kindly lent them a motor which they used to approach the shores before they were intercepted by the marines,” Gueye said, adding that all on board were young men. An investigation is under way to determine the origins of the vessel and the circumstances surrounding its lack of engine, Gueye added.
Migrants attempting Atlantic crossing sits after Senegalese marines intercepted the vessel carrying 112 people, officials said, as it was brought ashore at Ouakam Beach in Dakar, Senegal September 16, 2025.
One of the migrants, huddled on Ouakam beach under the watch of Senegalese gendarmes, told reporters that the group was from neighbouring Gambia and had been at sea for five days.
Irregular migration from West Africa to Europe, particularly along the Atlantic route to Spain’s Canary Islands, is a persistent challenge for regional coastguards. Despite increased cooperation between European and West African nations to address irregular migration, the complex root causes continue to fuel the dangerous trend. Experts cite economic hardship, political instability and the impact of climate change on traditional livelihoods as key factors driving migration from the region.
Migrants attempting Atlantic crossing disembark from a pirogue after Senegalese marines intercepted the vessel carrying 112 people, officials said, as it was brought ashore at Ouakam Beach in Dakar, Senegal September 16, 2025.
Senegalese authorities have intensified patrols in recent years, but migrants continue to attempt the dangerous journey, often in overcrowded and poorly equipped vessels.
A migrant attempting Atlantic crossing reacts after Senegalese marines intercepted the vessel carrying 112 people, officials said, as it was brought ashore at Ouakam Beach in Dakar, Senegal September 16, 2025.
