Discovery of corpses comes days after 40 bodies recovered from boat carrying illegal migrants that capsized off Senegal's coast
At least 30 decomposing bodies were found in a migrant boat off Senegal, the army said Monday.
In a statement, the military said the boat was drifting around 70 kilometers (43 miles) off the coast of Senegal's capital Dakar.
“So far, 30 bodies have been counted. The advanced state of decomposition made the identification process difficult,” the statement said.
The navy was informed of the boat's presence on Sunday evening, according to the statement.
It said investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the boat and exact toll.
The discovery of the corpses came days after at least 40 bodies were recovered after a boat carrying around 100 illegal migrants from the coastal town of Mbour in western Senegal capsized off the coast.
Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye then vowed to crack down on the “human traffickers” who he said take advantage of desperate Senegalese youth by promising them a better future abroad while leading them to perilous situations.
Senegal's coasts are regularly used by African migrants heading to the Spanish Canary Islands, which serve as one of the main destinations for people trying to reach Europe.
