A boat carrying dozens of migrants aiming to reach Spain returned to shore after taking on water off the coast of Gambia, officials said. No casualties were reported. The vessel had departed from northern Gambia a few days earlier, carrying passengers hoping to reach Spain’s Canary Islands, a journey of roughly 1,600 kilometres in rudimentary wooden boats. Many paid smugglers significant sums for passage. Passenger Ebrima Sarr said he paid 50,000 Gambian Dalasi (over $600) for a spot, while Sulayman Jawara described the journey as perilous, noting the boat had only one engine and one captain, making the voyage extremely dangerous.
The incident comes shortly after a New Year’s Eve tragedy in which at least 31 migrants drowned when an overloaded boat carrying more than 200 people capsized off the Gambian coast. Humanitarian groups continue to warn about the risks faced by undocumented migrants attempting the treacherous Atlantic crossing to Europe.
