At least seven people have been confirmed dead and many others remain missing after a migrant boat carrying about 200 people capsized off the coast of The Gambia, authorities have said. The incident occurred around midnight on Wednesday near Jinack village in the North Bank Region. According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence, the vessel later ran aground on a sandbank after overturning. So far, 96 passengers have been rescued, while search operations continue for those still unaccounted for. The boat was reportedly heading for Spain’s Canary Islands, a destination that has become i

At least seven people have been confirmed dead and many others remain missing after a migrant boat carrying about 200 people capsized off the coast of The Gambia, authorities have said. The incident occurred around midnight on Wednesday near Jinack village in the North Bank Region. According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence, the vessel later ran aground on a sandbank after overturning. So far, 96 passengers have been rescued, while search operations continue for those still unaccounted for. The boat was reportedly heading for Spain’s Canary Islands, a destination that has become increasingly common for African migrants seeking to reach Europe. Following the accident, the Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation involving several naval boats, with assistance from a local fishing vessel, the defence ministry said. Although officials did not specify the type of vessel involved, such journeys are typically made in large wooden boats that are not built for long-distance travel. These boats often attempt to cross more than 1,500 kilometres of open Atlantic Ocean and are frequently overcrowded. Authorities confirmed that the bodies of seven victims have been recovered. Ten of the rescued passengers are in critical condition and are receiving urgent medical treatment. Several of the victims are believed to be foreign nationals, and their identities are still being verified. The Atlantic route to the Canary Islands has grown more dangerous in recent years. In 2024 alone, nearly 47,000 migrants arrived on the islands. However, the Spanish non-governmental organisation Caminando Fronteras estimates that more than 9,000 migrants died while attempting the crossing during the same period. The Gambia has increasingly become a departure point for migrants and asylum seekers from across West Africa aiming to reach Europe.

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