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Seven people died in ship sinking off coast of Gambia

02 January 2026 04:34 (UTC +04:00)

At least seven people died in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Gambia while attempting to illegally reach Spain's Canary Islands, the Gambia Public Broadcasting Service said, APA reports.

Ninety-six people on board a vessel that capsized near the country's capital, Banjul, have been rescued, she noted. An investigation has been launched.

The migrants were attempting to reach the Canary Islands, located 1,550 km off the coast of Gambia. It takes vessels carrying illegal migrants from West Africa six to ten days to reach these islands from Gambia and Senegal. They primarily use old fishing vessels, which criminal groups buy up in African countries.

According to estimates by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, approximately 45,000 migrants will arrive illegally by sea from Africa to the Canary Islands in 2025. Some of them were transported by authorities to mainland Spain, as the Canary Islands no longer have space for migrants seeking residency in the EU. Another 2,000 illegal migrants drowned last year while attempting to reach the Canary Islands.