At least 12 migrants die as boat capsizes off Gambia's North Bank

A boat carrying migrants capsized off Jinack Kajata in Gambia's North Bank region, resulting in at least 12 fatalities, the Gambia Red Cross Society reported. The migrants were attempting the West African Atlantic Route toward Europe, often targeting the Canary Islands. The Red Cross noted that the count of missing individuals is uncertain and that response teams are working closely with local authorities.

Recent data from the International Organization for Migration show a sharp decline in arrivals to the Canary Islands since the 2024 peak, yet deaths and disappearances have barely changed, underscoring the route's danger. Heightened controls in traditional departure points in Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal have pushed migrants to launch farther south, extending journeys up to roughly 2,200 kilometres and increasing exposure to shipwrecks and dehydration. Earlier in July, a separate vessel departing from Gambia also suffered a shipwreck off Mauritania, leaving dozens dead or missing.