Senegal disputes reports 300 migrants lost at sea, migrant group disagrees In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Senegalese government denied the claims that more than 300 migrants who left the country in October 2022 have gone missing or drowned in the Atlantic Ocean.

The statement said that the government has been in contact with the authorities of Mauritania, Morocco, Spain and the Canary Islands, and that none of them have reported any incidents involving Senegalese migrants.

The statement also accused some media outlets and non-governmental organizations of spreading false information and creating panic among the families of the migrants. The government said that it is committed to protecting the rights and dignity of its citizens, and that it is working to create more opportunities for youth employment and development in the country.

However, a migrant rights group based in Dakar, called Alarm Phone, has challenged the government’s version of events. The group said that it has received several distress calls from migrants who left Senegal in October 2022, and that many of them have not reached their destinations or have been intercepted by coast guards.

The group said that it has evidence that at least 302 migrants have died or disappeared at sea, and that many more are still missing. The group also criticized the government for failing to address the root causes of migration, such as poverty, inequality, corruption and human rights violations.

The group said that the government should respect the freedom of movement of its people, and that it should provide more support and assistance to the families of the missing migrants.