Thu Jan 01 23:20:45 UTC 2026: News Article:
Gambia: Migrant Boat Capsizes, Leaving Seven Dead and Dozens Rescued
Banjul, Gambia – January 2, 2026 – At least seven migrants are confirmed dead and 96 others were rescued after a boat capsized off the coast of northwest Gambia overnight, the country’s Defence Ministry announced. The vessel, believed to be carrying over 200 people, went down near a village in Gambia’s North Bank region and was later found grounded on a sandbank. Search and recovery operations are ongoing.
The incident is the latest tragedy on the perilous West African migrant route to Spain’s Canary Islands. The rescue mission involved naval speedboats, a coastal patrol vessel, and local fishermen. Ten of the rescued migrants are in critical condition and receiving urgent medical attention. Nationalities of the migrants have not yet been released.
While irregular migration into the EU via the West African route fell by 60% in the first 11 months of 2025 due to increased prevention efforts, deadly incidents continue to occur. In August 2025, at least 70 people died when a migrant boat, believed to have departed from Gambia, capsized in one of the deadliest accidents in recent years.
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