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Captain of migrant boat tragedy in Senegal turns himself in as death toll rises to 26

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Captain of migrant boat tragedy in Senegal turns himself in as death toll rises to 26
News

News

Captain of migrant boat tragedy in Senegal turns himself in as death toll rises to 26

2024-09-11 00:37 Last Updated At:00:40

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The captain of a migrant boat that capsized off Senegal over the weekend was arrested, local authorities said Tuesday, as the death toll rose to 26.

Cheikh Sall, the owner and captain of the boat, turned himself in Monday, Amadou Diop, the district’s prefect, told The Associated Press.

The death toll of the capsizing rose to 26, Senegal's navy said on the social media platform X on Tuesday.

The artisanal fishing boat left the town of Mbour, nearly 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of the capital Dakar heading to Europe on Sunday afternoon before capsizing a few miles (kilometers) off the coast.

In recent years, the number of migrants leaving West Africa through Senegal has surged with many fleeing conflict, poverty and the lack of job opportunities. Most head to the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of West Africa, which is used as a stepping stone to continental Europe.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 22,300 people have landed on the Canary Islands, 126% more than the same period last year, according to statistics released by Spain’s Interior Ministry.

Last month, the Senegalese army said it had arrested 453 migrants and “members of smuggling networks” as part of a 12-day operation patrolling the coastline. More than half of those arrested were Senegalese nationals, the army said.

In July, a boat carrying 300 migrants, mostly from Gambia and Senegal, capsized off Mauritania. More than a dozen died and at least 150 others went missing.

The Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands is one of the deadliest in the world. While there is no accurate death toll because of the lack of information on departures from West Africa, the Spanish migrant rights group Walking Borders estimates the victims are in the thousands this year alone.

Migrant vessels that get lost or run into problems often vanish in the Atlantic, with some drifting across the ocean for months until they are found in the Caribbean and Latin America carrying only human remains.

Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

FILE - Children play on fishing boats known as "pirogues" in Dakar, Senegal, June 24, 2023. Large pirogues are used in migrant crossings from Senegal to Spain. (AP Photo/Zane Irwin, File)

FILE - Children play on fishing boats known as "pirogues" in Dakar, Senegal, June 24, 2023. Large pirogues are used in migrant crossings from Senegal to Spain. (AP Photo/Zane Irwin, File)

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Flyers' rookie Matvei Michkov is healthy scratch against Lightning

2024-11-08 08:49 Last Updated At:08:51

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov was a healthy scratch Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, a move coach John Tortorella described as “just part of the process” in the young player's development.

Michkov, 19, was the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft and is second on the Flyers with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 13 games.

“With young guys they can watch games, too, as far as development,” Tortorella said before the game. “It's trying to help him.”

Michkov was NHL rookie of the month for October, but only has one assist in his past five games.

The Flyers, meanwhile, entered Thursday night in last place in the Metropolitan Division with nine points in 13 games.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Philadelphia Flyers' Matvei Michkov reacts after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Flyers' Matvei Michkov reacts after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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