17 Dead as Boat Capsizes in Senegal

Seventeen people drowned on Tuesday in Senegal when a boat carrying them capsized in the Saloum river, near the northern border with The Gambia.

Among the dead are fifteen women and two men.

The boat capsized near Bitenti Island, in the Fatick region, with rescuers telling the BBC that the cause of the accident is still unclear.

The number of dead is expected to rise, rescuers say.

Locals in the region earn their living from fishing.

They often take to the waters without lifejackets, significantly reducing ther chances of survival when accidents happen.

Meanwhile, Senegalese President Macky Sall has called for three days of mourning.