Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, The Gambia) – The Gambia Navy has intercepted and arrested a wooden boat carrying 114 suspected irregular migrants, including two minors. The vessel was apprehended in the early hours of Thursday during a routine patrol by the Navy Patrol vessel HSB SEADOG, according to military sources.

The migrants, comprising 97 men and 17 women, were reportedly exhausted upon their interception. Following the arrest, the HSB SEADOG escorted the boat to the naval base in Banjul.

There, the migrants underwent initial processing and received medical attention from Gambia Armed Forces medics stationed at the base, particularly for those who were unwell.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the boat had departed from Bunyadu in The Gambia on Monday, May 12, 2025. The individuals on board intended to reach Nouadhibou in Mauritania. However, their journey took an unexpected turn, and they became lost at sea, eventually drifting back into Gambian territorial waters.

Lieutenant Commander Fara Jobe, the Commanding Officer of the naval command, oversaw the handover procedures of the migrants to representatives from the Gambia Immigration Department. The Immigration Department will now be responsible for further processing and determining the next steps for the intercepted individuals.

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges associated with irregular migration in the region and underscores the crucial role played by the Gambia Navy in monitoring and safeguarding the nation’s maritime borders.