The Gambia Navy on Thursday, intercepted a wooden boat carrying 114 suspected illegal migrants during a routine patrol in Gambian waters.
The vessel was stopped in the early hours by the Navy patrol ship HSB SEADOG and escorted to the Naval Base in Banjul. Onboard were 97 men, 17 women, and two minors—many of them visibly exhausted. Military medics attended to those in need of medical care.
According to Gambia Armed Forces officials, the boat departed Bunyadu, The Gambia, on Monday, 12 May, with plans to reach Europe but only voyaged as far as Nouadhibou in the Republic of Mauritania. The group reportedly lost their way at sea and drifted back into Gambian waters.
The passengers are said to be nationals of The Gambia, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. After being brought ashore, they were processed and handed over to the Gambia Immigration Department for further investigation.
The handover was overseen by Lieutenant Commander Fara Jobe, Commanding Officer of the Naval Base.
The incident highlights the ongoing risks associated with irregular sea migration, particularly along the West African route used by migrants seeking to reach Europe.
The Gambia Immigration Department has yet to release a statement on the incident or the next steps regarding the intercepted individuals.
