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Migrant Shipwrecks Kill 56 Off Senegal, Greece As IOM Warns Of Deadly Routes
Migrant Shipwrecks Kill 56 Off Senegal, Greece As IOM Warns Of Deadly Routes
At least 56 migrants died in separate shipwrecks off Senegal and Greece over the weekend, with several others still missing.
Thirty-four people died after a migrant boat capsized off northwestern Senegal, while 22 others were killed in two separate incidents south of Crete.
IOM records at least 454 deaths and disappearances along the Western African Atlantic migration route as of October 26.
Organisation urges governments to intensify search-and-rescue operations, dismantle smuggling networks and provide safer, legal migration routes.
November 10, () – At least 56 migrants have died in a series of shipwrecks off the coasts of Senegal and Greece, prompting the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to renew its call for stronger international action against human smuggling networks and expanded legal migration opportunities.
The organisation, in a statement on Monday, described the incidents as a stark reminder of the dangers confronting migrants who undertake perilous journeys across the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas in search of better living conditions.
The deaths occurred in three separate incidents over the weekend, involving overcrowded boats that encountered difficulties at sea. Several people were rescued, while an unknown number remain missing.
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IOM Director-General, Amy Pope, said the victims were people who had left their homes hoping for better opportunities but had fallen victim to smugglers and traffickers who exploit their desperation.
“These were mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, people who left home hoping for a better life,” Pope said.
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She said criminal networks charged migrants for dangerous journeys aboard boats that were not fit for sea travel, putting their lives at risk for financial gain.
“Smugglers and traffickers charged them for a dangerous journey on boats that were not fit for the sea. These networks profit from desperation, and every day they operate, more lives are put at risk,” she said.
Pope urged countries to work together to dismantle the networks and provide safe and legal alternatives for people seeking to migrate.
“Countries must go after them together and give people safe, legal ways to move. Our hearts are with every family waiting for news,” she added.
According to Senegalese authorities and public reports, at least 34 people died on Friday after a boat carrying migrants capsized off the country’s northwestern coast near Loumpoul, between Dakar and Saint-Louis. One survivor was rescued, while an unknown number of passengers remain missing.
Search-and-rescue operations were continuing as of Monday, with the death toll still considered provisional.
The disaster highlights the continuing dangers along the Western African Atlantic migration route, which is used by migrants seeking to reach Europe, particularly Spain’s Canary Islands.
22 Killed in Two Shipwrecks Off Greece
In two separate incidents south of Crete, at least 22 migrants died after boats that had departed from eastern Libya encountered difficulties at sea.
In the first incident, Greek authorities rescued 28 Sudanese migrants and recovered eight bodies, while several passengers were reported missing.
In the second incident, a cargo ship spotted a migrant vessel in distress. Eighteen survivors were rescued, while 14 bodies were recovered.
The incidents have heightened concerns over the growing use of the eastern Mediterranean route from Libya towards Crete and mainland Europe.
IOM said increasing migrant arrivals along the eastern Libya-Crete route this year, combined with gaps in search-and-rescue capacity, were raising concerns about the dangers confronting people undertaking the journey.
Atlantic Route Records 454 Deaths, Disappearances
The organisation said it had recorded at least 454 deaths and disappearances along the Western African Atlantic route alone as of October 26.
It warned, however, that the figure represented only a minimum estimate because many migrant boats disappear without survivors or any trace of their passengers.
“Departures on the route have increasingly shifted south towards The Gambia, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, lengthening journeys and exposing migrants to greater risks at sea,” IOM said.
The southward shift in departure points has increased the distance migrants must cover to reach their intended destinations, exposing them to longer periods at sea in vessels that are often overcrowded and poorly equipped.
The Atlantic route remains a major irregular migration corridor for people seeking to reach Europe, particularly through the Canary Islands, with smugglers and traffickers facilitating dangerous crossings.
IOM Calls For International Cooperation
Following the latest tragedies, IOM called for sustained cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination to address the dangers associated with irregular migration.
It urged governments to strengthen coordinated search-and-rescue operations, provide support for survivors and assist families searching for missing relatives.
The organisation also called for stronger action against smuggling and trafficking networks responsible for organising dangerous sea crossings, while urging governments to expand safe and regular migration pathways.
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