Senegal smuggling boat sinks; 1 dead, 11 rescued, 48 missing

By KRISTA LARSON
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Authorities in Senegal say dozens of people are missing and feared dead after a wooden boat capsized off the coast. At least 60 people were believed to have been onboard when the vessel sank, and authorities only rescued 11 survivors. Despite efforts to locate victims by helicopter, only one body had been recovered as of Saturday. Senegalese migrants have long risked their lives in flimsy boats at sea for a chance to reach Europe, and the economic hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a resurgence of attempts. Many are embarking for the Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean off the northwestern coast of Africa.