Senegalese authorities intercepted a migrant boat carrying 238 people off the coast of Dakar on December 9, 2025, according to a statement from the National Division for the Fight Against Migrant Trafficking and Similar Practices (DNLT).
The vessel was stopped approximately 10 nautical miles south of Cap Manuel after encountering mechanical failure in Mauritanian waters, forcing the migrants to turn back toward Senegal.
Among those rescued, 124 were Guinean nationals — the largest group — consisting of 60 men, 48 women, and 16 minors. The remaining passengers included 61 Senegalese, 39 Gambians, 4 Malians, 3 Ghanaians, 4 Ivorians, and 3 Sierra Leoneans.
The boat had departed from Djinack, Gambia, on the night of December 5–6, 2025. After several days at sea, the migrants reached Mauritanian waters before experiencing engine failure. According to witness accounts collected by the DNLT, the boat’s captain, identified only as Moussa, abandoned the vessel off the coast of Dakar, taking the engines, a sick woman, and her child aboard a local pirogue with promises to return.
Left without the captain or propulsion, the migrants alerted the Senegalese Navy. Nine individuals, including three minors, were evacuated to Abass Ndao Hospital for medical treatment. Ten people identified as crew members were placed in custody as part of the ongoing investigation.
The DNLT confirmed that the majority of the migrants, primarily Guinean nationals, were released following questioning.
This incident underscores the continued risks faced by migrants attempting sea crossings from West Africa to Europe, often relying on overcrowded and unsafe vessels operated by smuggling networks.
