Death toll rises to 39 after Europe-bound migrant boat capsizes off Gambia

BANJUL – The death toll from a boat carrying Europe-bound migrants that capsized off Gambia’s coast on New Year’s Eve has risen to 39, two government officials told Reuters. Survivors described the vessel as “overcrowded and dilapidated.”

Gambia’s defence ministry had initially reported seven deaths and estimated that more than 200 people could have been on board. As of Wednesday, 112 people had been rescued, according to Sima Lowe, public relations officer for Gambia’s Immigration Department, and a senior defence ministry official.

Of the 39 dead, 24 bodies were recovered in Gambian territory and 15 in Senegalese waters. Passengers included citizens of Gambia, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Sierra Leone.

Survivors said the boat was heading for Europe via the Canary Islands, one of the world’s deadliest migration routes. Many cited poverty and lack of opportunities at home as reasons for risking the journey.

Gambia’s government reported intercepting more than 2,700 would-be migrants in 2025. The EU‘s border agency Frontex said irregular migration along the West African route to the EU fell 60% in the first 11 months of 2025, largely due to stronger prevention efforts by departure countries in cooperation with EU member states.