Dakar — On September 22, 2024, the discovery of a dug-out canoe with at least 30 bodies was made off the coast about 70km from Dakar. The national navy was informed and Immediately deployed to the area, where the patrol boat towed the vessel to port, according to the Ministry of the Armed Forces statement.

Law enforcement agencies then reported discovering several decomposing bodies.

The statement said three patrol boats and a landing craft carrying doctors, firefighters, and hygiene officials joined the investigation at the port where the recovery, identification, and transfer operations began. The operation is "very delicate", the statement said.

Director of Information and Public Relations of the Armed Forces For Captain M. Ibrahima, said investigations are underway how many people died and the exact origin of the canoe.

RFI reports it could be a boat that left Mbour on August 13, with more than a hundred people on board for illegal emigration. The name of the vessel Saliou Mbacké and its color, correspond to the one found at sea on Sunday.

The original article appeared on fr.allafrica.com