Government sources revealed that the vessel had departed the shores of Ginak Village late on December 31, 2025, heavily overcrowded with migrants from Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire. The journey was allegedly organized by a Senegalese national and a resident of Ginak, who are suspected of coordinating the dangerous voyage.
Eyewitness accounts and preliminary investigations indicate that shortly after the accident, the suspected organizers arrived at the scene in boats but rescued only the captain, crew members, and family relatives, leaving the remaining passengers stranded in the open sea.
As the vessel capsized, survivors managed to send distress calls, prompting an emergency response by the Gambian Navy, supported by local fishing boats, who rescued 102 survivors from the water. Of those rescued, 23 remain hospitalized as of January 4, 2026.
Search and recovery operations confirmed the recovery of 15 bodies in The Gambia and 16 in neighboring Senegal, while many others remain missing and are feared dead, raising concerns that the death toll could rise.
Survivors were received and processed by the Gambia Immigration Department, with support from the Gambia Red Cross Society and the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA). A total of 82 survivors were registered, provided medical assistance, and supported with family tracing services.
The Government of The Gambia has expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and reaffirmed its commitment to cracking down on human smuggling networks, strengthening coastal surveillance, and ensuring that those responsible for organizing irregular migration routes are identified and prosecuted.
The tragedy once again exposes the deadly risks of irregular migration, as desperate migrants continue to place their lives in the hands of traffickers who profit from perilous sea journeys.
