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On New Year’s Eve off the coast of Gambia, at least 31 individuals drowned when a boat overloaded with undocumented migrants capsized, according to local authorities. The death toll has since increased, with the government reporting that many others are missing and presumed dead.
The government provided an update, stating that recovery efforts have confirmed 15 bodies in Gambia and 16 in Senegal. Additionally, 102 people were rescued, with 23 requiring hospitalization. The tragedy highlights the perilous journeys undertaken by thousands, predominantly young people, attempting to reach Europe from West Africa. These journeys often involve overcrowded, decaying boats heading mainly towards the Spanish Canary Islands, driven by visa restrictions and heightened border enforcement.
Recently, migrants have been forced to depart from Ethiopia and Guinea, further south along the coast, which has extended and complicated their sea crossings amid increased maritime patrols by Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco. During this latest incident, a vessel carrying more than 200 individuals issued a distress call on the night of December 31 into January 1 near the North Bank region. The Gambian Navy responded promptly, launching a search involving multiple ships and a fishing boat. The damaged vessel was eventually located on a sandbank.
The government’s statement notes the grim outcomes of the search, with confirmed recoveries and the rescue of over a hundred survivors. President Adama Barrow expressed national mourning over the disaster.
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