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Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - BANJUL — At least 12 people died after a boat carrying an unknown number of migrants sank off the coast of Gambia, the Red Cross said.
The incident occurred off of Jinack Kajata in the country's North Bank region, the Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) said on Thursday. The migrants were reportedly heading towards Europe via the West African Atlantic Route.
The long journey from west Africa is extremely dangerous due to strong currents and the often ramshackle, overloaded vessels used.
Rescuers have recovered 12 bodies after the boat transporting illegal migrants sank off the coast of Gambia, the GRCS said.
"The number of people missing remains uncertain, and further updates are expected as response efforts continue," it said in a statement, adding that it was "working closely with relevant authorities and response partners as the situation unfolds."
According to Gambian media, the village of Jinack Kajata on Jinack Island has become an increasingly popular launch site for migrants looking to make the journey to Spain's Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says the West African Atlantic Route is a key pathway for West African migrants travelling to Europe, despite it becoming increasingly dangerous.
"Data from the West African Atlantic Route show that while arrivals to the Canary Islands fell considerably since the 2024 peak (a 62 percent decrease from 2024 to 2025), recorded deaths and disappearances remained broadly unchanged, falling 4 per cent from 2024 to 2025 (1,215 to 1,172), highlighting how the route has become much more dangerous for migrants," the IOM said earlier this week.
It added that increased controls in traditional departure spots in Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal have pushed some migrants seeking to reach Europe further south, towards countries such as The Gambia.
"These alternative departure points can add up to 750 kilometres to the crossing, extending some journeys to approximately 2,200 kilometres and exposing people to longer periods at sea, more remote and less monitored coastlines, and greater risks of shipwreck, dehydration and disappearance," the IOM said.
In July, dozens of migrants were reportedly dead or missing after a vessel travelling from The Gambia was shipwrecked off the coast of Mauritania.
The Canary Islands are one of the main gateways into Europe for migrants fleeing poverty, conflict and persecution, alongside Mediterranean routes to Italy and Greece.
Arrivals to the Atlantic archipelago peaked in 2024 at more than 46,000, but have fallen sharply as Spain pushes to curb them.
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