Banjul, Gambia — A boat carrying dozens of migrants attempting to reach Spain was forced to return to shore after taking on water off the Gambian coast. No casualties have been reported.
The vessel had departed from Gambia a few days earlier, with passengers paying significant sums for passage. One migrant, Ebrima Sarr, said he paid more than $600 for a spot on the boat. “I met with one of the agents who told me that he has a boat which is going to Spain, and I paid him 50,000 Gambian Dalasi,” he explained.
The route from northern Gambia to Spain’s southernmost Canary Islands spans approximately 1,600 kilometres, making the journey long and hazardous, especially in a rudimentary wooden boat. Sulayman Jawara, another passenger, described the conditions aboard the vessel: “They only gave us one engine. How can one engine take us to Spain? And one captain. We didn’t get anywhere.”
This incident comes on the heels of a tragic New Year’s Eve accident, when at least 31 people drowned after an overloaded boat carrying more than 200 undocumented migrants capsized off the Gambian coast. The repeated attempts highlight the ongoing dangers faced by migrants seeking passage to Europe from West Africa.
Authorities and migrant rights organizations continue to urge stronger safeguards and alternatives to prevent such life-threatening journeys, emphasizing the vulnerability of individuals who pay high fees to traverse treacherous waters in pursuit of better opportunities.
