Joal: 12 dead in migrant boat capsize

A tragedy involving irregular migration occurred off the coast of Joal. A pirogue carrying over 200 people attempting to emigrate capsized, resulting in at least 12 deaths. Search operations are continuing to find any possible survivors.

A serious maritime accident has plunged the town of Joal into mourning on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday 2025. The Joal gendarmerie brigade was alerted around 4 a.m. after the discovery of 12 lifeless bodies on Gazobil beach.

A rapid intervention by the emergency services made it possible to rescue 31 survivors , who were then taken to the gendarmerie brigade for their care and the needs of the investigation.

According to a security source, the pirogue was carrying more than 200 migrants . It left Diamaguène , a village located in the Saloum Islands , on Saturday , heading towards the Atlantic Ocean.

The bodies of the victims have been taken to the morgue in Joal , while the search continues at sea to find any possible survivors.

Reacting to this tragedy, the President of the Republic of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye , who was visiting the south of the country, notably Basséré , south of Nyassia in the Ziguinchor region, expressed his condolences:

“My thoughts also go out, with deep compassion, to the families bereaved by the tragedy in Joal, following the capsizing of a boat. We share their pain and sorrow, while the search continues for any possible survivors. These moments, however different they may be, remind us of our responsibility to protect lives, to secure our communities, and to strengthen hope throughout the country.”

This latest tragedy reignites the debate on the risks associated with irregular migration by sea , a phenomenon that continues to claim many human lives.