Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Gambia Navy intercepted a canoe carrying 180 migrants attempting to journey to the Kingdom of Spain in the early hours of Saturday, 9 November 2025. The vessel was intercepted near Dog Island during routine maritime patrols, military sources confirmed.

According to the Navy, the group consisted of 163 Gambian nationals, 15 Senegalese, and two Guineans from Conakry.

Upon disembarkation at the Naval Command headquarters, several migrants received immediate medical attention from the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) medical unit before all individuals were screened and handed over to the relevant authorities for further processing.

The interception forms part of continued operations to curb irregular migration along the country’s coastline.

In a separate operation earlier in the week, Navy patrol units also prevented another attempted irregular departure on the night of 5 November 2025, during an intervention around Denton Bridge.

Authorities say the quick response helped disrupt the preparation of a second group of would-be migrants.

The Gambia Navy says these actions reflect its ongoing resolve to safeguard national waters, protect lives at sea, and stem the growing trend of irregular migration through dangerous maritime routes.