Gambian Authorities Intercept 780 Migrants

Authorities in Gambia said they have intercepted more than 780 migrants attempting to use the country as a departure point for irregular journeys to Europe, days after a migrant boat capsized off the coast, killing more than 30 people.

The Interior Ministry said on Friday that three coordinated operations carried out across different parts of the country resulted in the interception of 782 prospective migrants.

The exercise began on January 3, following a deadly New Year’s Eve incident in which an overloaded boat sank, claiming at least 31 lives.

In a statement, the ministry said it was deeply concerned by the sharp rise in the number of people seeking to reach Europe by sea from Gambia, noting that the trend had triggered the deployment of special operation teams to respond decisively.

Officials explained that migrant routes have increasingly shifted further south in West Africa, particularly to Gambia and Guinea, after Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco strengthened maritime patrols.

Tens of thousands of people, mostly young, have attempted the perilous journey in recent years, often aboard overcrowded and unsafe vessels bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.

Among those intercepted were 233 Senegalese nationals, 197 Gambians, 176 Guineans, and 148 Malians, according to immigration authorities.

The interceptions come against a string of recent migrant boat disasters linked to Gambia. 

The vessel that capsized between December 31 and January 1 was last heard from after sending a distress call near the North Bank region. 

Another boat carrying more than 200 people, which departed the same region on December 5, remains missing, while a separate vessel with over 190 migrants that left Jinack on November 17 has been confirmed to have sunk after weeks of failed search efforts.