Tragic Shipwreck Claims Lives of Migrants Off the Coast of Gambia

Fri Jan 02 2026 18:43:07 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Dozens are missing and at least seven have died after a migrant boat carrying around 200 people capsized in rough waters off Gambia, sparking an urgent search and rescue operation.

A boat carrying about 200 migrants capsized near Jinack village in The Gambia, resulting in at least seven confirmed deaths and dozens of missing individuals. The Gambia's defense ministry reported that 96 people have been rescued, and the search continues for others. This tragic incident highlights the dangerous routes that many migrants take in a desperate attempt to reach Europe. The Gambia is increasingly becoming a launch point for these perilous journeys across the Atlantic.

At least seven people have died and many others are missing after a boat carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.

The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found grounded on a sandbank, the country's defense ministry reported.

Ninety-six people have been rescued so far, and a search is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.

The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach Europe. In 2024 alone, nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands, with estimates of over 9,000 migrant deaths during this dangerous crossing.

After Wednesday's tragedy, the Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist. While the majority of victims are thought to be non-Gambian nationals, the identities of the deceased are still being confirmed. Ten of the survivors are currently in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.

This incident underscores the mounting issues related to migration in West Africa, as individuals increasingly turn to longer and more hazardous routes across the Atlantic Ocean to escape dire circumstances at home.