The Gambia is once again in mourning after news broke that a boat carrying nearly 100 West African migrants including Gambians sank off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, claiming at least 26 lives and leaving many others missing.
The tragedy happened on Wednesday, 13 August 2024, about 14 nautical miles from the island. Survivors say they had been drifting for three days without food, water, or fuel before help arrived. By the time the Italian Coast Guard reached them, some had already perished from exhaustion and dehydration.
Sixty people were rescued, among them four women, but the joy of survival is heavy with grief for the friends and family members who didn’t make it. Reports suggest up to 17 people are still unaccounted for. Community members in Italy say some of the dead and missing are believed to be Gambians, though the full list of names has not yet been released.
The victims and survivors also include nationals from Ivory Coast, Mali, and Ghana. They had all set out on the perilous Mediterranean crossing in search of safety and opportunity dreams that ended in the dark waters between North Africa and Europe.
“It was like the sea wanted to swallow us,” one survivor told Italian rescuers. “We prayed and held each other, but the waves were too strong. I don’t know where my brother is.”
Italian authorities believe the overloaded vessel capsized after becoming unstable. The rescue mission involved coast guard ships, financial police, and aircraft from the EU border agency Frontex.
The UN refugee agency has spoken of its “deep anguish” over the disaster, urging world leaders to act so that families no longer have to bury loved ones lost at sea.
This is not the first time The Gambia has felt the pain of such news. In recent years, too many young Gambians have vanished on “the backway,” their families left waiting for phone calls that never come.
As the Mediterranean claims more lives, the heartbreak reaches far beyond the shores of Lampedusa stretching into villages and towns across The Gambia, where mothers, fathers, and siblings will now prepare to grieve those they sent off with prayers and hope.
At a Glance: Lampedusa Boat Disaster
- Date: 13 August 2024
- Location: 14 nautical miles off Lampedusa, Italy
- People on board: 100
- Confirmed dead: At least 26
- Missing: Up to 17
- Rescued: 60 (56 men, 4 women)
- Nationalities: The Gambia, Ivory Coast, Mali, Ghana
- Cause: Suspected overloading leading to capsizing
- Rescue agencies: Italian Coast Guard, Financial Police, Frontex
