At least six people died after a boat capsized off the coast of Senegal over the weekend, according to a spokesperson for the West African country’s armed forces.
The wooden fishing vessel, known as a pirogue, was carrying around 100 migrants from the town of Mbour when it overturned just 4 km (2.5 miles) into its journey.
Four people were rescued, but many are still missing, state broadcaster Radio Television Senegalaise (RTS) reported.
The navy has deployed a plane and two boats to search for survivors and recover the bodies of the deceased, with operations continuing on Monday.
The route from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands is a popular migration path, with a 154% increase in crossings this year, according to the European Union border agency Frontex. Authorities warn that up to 150,000 more migrants from Africa may attempt the perilous journey in the coming months.
In a separate incident, France’s navy intercepted two pirogues carrying a total of 276 migrants off Senegal’s coast on Friday.
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