Seven die, 96 rescued as migrant boat sinks off Gambia

Gambia’s defense ministry said seven bodies were recovered and 96 people were rescued after a boat carrying migrants capsized.

In its statement, the Ministry stated that the ship “allegedly carried more than 200 immigrants” and added that 10 of the rescued immigrants were in critical condition and received urgent medical attention.

The Atlantic migration route from the coast of West Africa to the Canary Islands, typically used by African migrants trying to reach Spain, is one of the deadliest routes in the world.

According to the European Union, more than 46,000 irregular migrants arrived in the Canary Islands in 2024; This is a record number.

More than 10,000 people have died during the journey, a 58 percent increase from 2023, according to human rights group Caminando Fronteras.

In August 2025, in one of the deadliest accidents of recent years, at least 70 people died when a boat carrying immigrants from Gambia capsized.