The International Organization for Migration on Monday said at least 56 people died in a series of weekend shipwrecks off Senegal and Greece.
The agency called the deaths a stark reminder of the deadly risks migrants face on the Atlantic and Mediterranean. IOM Director General Amy Pope said, “These were mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, people who left home hoping for a better life.”
| Location/incident | Deaths | Survivors | Missing/notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near Loumpoul, Senegal (Friday) | At least 34 | 1 | Unknown missing; search ongoing |
| South of Crete, incident 1 | 8 bodies recovered | 28 Sudanese rescued | Several reported missing |
| South of Crete, incident 2 | 14 bodies recovered | 18 | Cargo ship spotted vessel in distress |
Off northwestern Senegal, at least 34 people died on Friday when a migrant boat capsized near Loumpoul, between Dakar and Saint-Louis, according to IOM. One person was rescued, and an unknown number are still missing, the agency said, citing Senegalese authorities and public reports. Search operations are continuing, and the toll is provisional.
South of Crete, at least 22 people died in two separate incidents after boats that had departed from eastern Libya got into distress at sea, IOM said. In one case, Greek authorities rescued 28 Sudanese migrants and recovered eight bodies, with several people reported missing. In the other, 18 survivors were rescued and 14 bodies recovered after a cargo ship spotted the vessel in distress.
Rising arrivals on the eastern Libya–Crete route to mainland Europe this year, combined with gaps in search and rescue capacity, are increasing concerns about the dangers people face on the journey, IOM said.
On the Western African Atlantic Route, IOM has recorded at least 454 deaths and disappearances so far this year, as of Oct. 26. The agency said these are minimum estimates because many boats disappear without survivors or trace. Departures on that route have shifted south toward The Gambia, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, lengthening journeys and increasing risk at sea.
IOM called for sustained cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination, including coordinated search and rescue, support for survivors and families of the missing, stronger action against smuggling networks, and expanded safe and regular migration pathways.
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