The Senegalese Ministry of the Armed Forces confirmed on Wednesday that the three sailors missing since a naval accident last week have been found dead.
The sailors were members of the Senegalese Navy serving on a patrol boat that capsized on the morning of February 12. According to the Directorate of Information and Public Relations of the Armed Forces (DIRPA), the vessel was engaged in a liaison mission at the mouth of the Senegal River when it was overtaken by heavy swells caused by deteriorating weather conditions.
While ten survivors were rescued immediately following the incident, a week-long intensive search operation involving air, sea, and land assets was required to locate the missing crew members. DIRPA confirmed that the bodies have now been recovered and all necessary legal procedures are being followed. The wreckage of the patrol boat has also been successfully retrieved.
In honor of their service and sacrifice, a final military tribute is scheduled for Thursday morning at the Captain Hamedine Fall Naval Base in Saint-Louis.
Captain Ibrahima Sow, Director of DIRPA, expressed the Armed Forces’ deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, noting that the military has closely monitored the situation since the tragedy began.
AC/Sf/fss/abj/APA