200 Migrants Vanish at Sea After Boat Sinks Off Gambia

A migrant boat carrying 200 people capsized off Gambia, killing seven and leaving dozens missing. Rescues continue on the dangerous Atlantic migration route.

sarah

Jan 2, 2026 - 20:25

200 Migrants Vanish at Sea After Boat Sinks Off Gambia

Authorities say at least seven people have died and several others are missing after a boat carrying nearly 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized off the coast of Gambia.

The country's Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the boat overturned near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region around midnight on Wednesday and was later found "stranded on a sandbank."

So far, 96 people have been rescued, and the search continues for other passengers trapped in the wreckage of the vessel, which was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.

This perilous journey across the Atlantic Ocean has become a common route for African migrants attempting to reach Europe.

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Nearly 47,000 people arrived in the Canary Islands in 2024, and the Spanish non-governmental organization Caminando Fronteras estimates that more than 9,000 migrants have died attempting the crossing.

Following Wednesday's accident, the Ministry of Defence said the Gambian navy launched a search and rescue operation involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist.

Authorities did not specify the type of boat, but they are typically large wooden vessels not designed for the more than 1,500 km (900 miles) journey across the Atlantic Ocean. They are often overcrowded.

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The Ministry of Defence said that many of the victims are not Gambian nationals and their identities are still being verified.

The bodies of seven people have been recovered, while 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and are receiving immediate medical attention.

Gambia is being used as a launching pad by West African migrants and asylum seekers attempting to reach Spain's Canary Islands and then mainland Europe. In recent years, the European Union has made agreements with several North African countries aimed at reducing irregular migration, but this has forced many migrants to take the longer and more dangerous route across the Atlantic Ocean.

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