At least seven bodies were recovered and 96 people rescued after a migrant boat capsized overnight, according to The Gambia’s defence ministry on Thursday, 1 January, about 15 hours ago. The vessel was reportedly carrying more than 200 migrants, with 10 of the survivors in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
The incident underscores the continued dangers of the Atlantic migration route from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands, widely regarded as one of the world’s deadliest sea crossings. The European Union recorded over 46,000 irregular migrant arrivals in the Canary Islands in 2024, the highest on record.
Rights group Caminando Fronteras estimates that more than 10,000 people died attempting the journey in 2024, marking a 58% increase compared with 2023. The route has seen repeated tragedies, including an incident in August 2025 when at least 70 migrants died after a boat believed to have departed from The Gambia capsized.