Senegal's Interior Ministry said Sunday that at least 21 people had died after a wooden pirogue carrying presumed migrants came into difficulty off the country's northwest coast, with one survivor counted so far^1,2,3.

The ministry located the incident off Kébémer, in the Louga region². The Rio Times, citing the same ministry, said four bodies were found Friday at Tébène 2 in the commune of Thiéppe, with more recoveries Saturday near Lompoul, between Dakar and Saint-Louis¹.

Search and rescue operations were continuing^1,2. Officials have not confirmed how many people were aboard, where the boat left from, or its destination¹. Boats leaving this coast often head toward Spain's Canary Islands on the Atlantic migration route^1,2.

Euronews reported that the interior minister, speaking for the president and government, offered condolences to families and restated a determination to combat people-smuggling networks, including with neighboring countries².

The International Organization for Migration has described the Atlantic route as a main pathway from West Africa toward Europe and said tighter controls at some departure points have pushed some journeys farther south, adding distance and risk². Identification of the dead remained pending, and the Interior Ministry's count was still provisional¹.