Adrift: Senegal’s coastal crisis and the deadly route to Europe

Abdou and his father are separated by 1,500 km of ocean – a distance Abdou travelled in November 2020. He left Joal-Fadiouth, a fishing town in Senegal, and eventually reached Tenerife, a Spanish island off the coast of Morocco, after spending approximately fourteen days at sea in a wooden fishing boat. This route, increasingly used by people in West Africa to reach Europe, is considered one of the most deadly on Earth.

For Abdou, his loved ones, and thousands of others along Senegal’s coastline, the fishing they once depended on is no longer an option. With few alternatives, more and more people are being pushed toward life-threatening journeys, seeking opportunities elsewhere. This escalating, intersecting crisis demands urgent attention and action.