Three days after a devastating shipwreck off Senegalese coast of Mbour, which claimed the lives of over 125 people, search operations for survivors continue despite the slim chances of finding any.
In response to the crisis, Senegal’s President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye visited Mbour on Wednesday evening, distressed by the severity of the situation.
In response to the crisis, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye visited Mbour on Wednesday evening, visibly distressed by the severity of the situation.
“The nation is in mourning, and the situation is deeply unbearable,” President Faye stated. “On behalf of the Senegalese people, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the grieving families.
This tragedy, which has affected not just Mbour but other parts of the Senegalese coast, is the result of human trafficking networks.
These networks exploit the desperation of young people, selling them false dreams of a better future.” President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, said
While the President has criticised human trafficking networks, there is growing frustration among the public with the new government’s focus.
Critics argue that the administration has failed to prioritize addressing the unemployment crisis among Senegalese youth.
Moussa Diakhaté, a human rights specialist and MP, has long warned of these issues but feels his concerns have been ignored.
He also pointed out the role of parents in this crisis, saying some parents, who contributed financially to sending their children abroad, have indirectly played a part in their deaths.
To date, nearly 40 bodies have been recovered, with 4 survivors, and about fifty people remain missing.
The government has pledged to take decisive action against those involved in human trafficking.
“The government is actively combating this issue,” President Faye affirmed. “We will relentlessly pursue these traffickers, these merchants of death, until they are held accountable.”
As Mbour grapples with the loss of many young lives, the nation faces one of its most severe migration crises in recent years.
