By Makutu Manneh
Migrant rights activist Ebrima Drammeh has reported that 131 Gambian migrants have died while attempting to reach Europe through irregular migration routes—locally known as the “backway”—between January and April 2026.
Drammeh, widely known as Ebrima Migrants Situation, presented the figures in his latest update on migration trends, noting that of the 131 confirmed deaths, 117 occurred at sea while 14 were recorded along overland routes.
According to his records, four migrant boats carrying Gambians have gone missing without a trace during the reporting period. These include a vessel carrying 160 people that departed Batokunku on February 6; another with 210 passengers that left Kartong on March 29; a third carrying 190 migrants from Tanji on the same date; and a fourth boat with 180 passengers that also departed Kartong on March 29.
Drammeh further stated that an estimated 740 African migrants have died or gone missing at sea so far in 2026, with 254 Gambians accounted for among the missing.
“A total of 740 African migrants are dead or missing at sea so far in 2026, of which we have a record of 254 Gambian migrants missing,” he stated.
On arrivals in Europe, he reported that 1,860 migrants who departed from The Gambia reached Spain in 2026, including 743 Gambians who traveled aboard 13 separate boats from Gambian shores. He also noted that 173 Gambian migrants arrived in Italy during the same period after departing from Libya and Tunisia via nine boats.
In addition, Drammeh disclosed that 2,553 Gambian migrants were intercepted in 2026 across multiple operations involving eight migrant boats linked to Gambian routes. These included two boats carrying 147 people, 259 migrants intercepted in Senegal across four boats, and 390 intercepted in Morocco in four separate boats.
“2553 Gambian migrants were intercepted in 2026 in 8 different migrant boats that Gambians are involved in: 2 boats with 147 people, 259 in Senegal in 4 different boats, and 390 in Morocco in 4 different boats,” he stated.
He added that security forces prevented 1,589 migrants from departing during the same period.
The report also indicates that 574 Gambian migrants were either deported or returned voluntarily as of April 2026. This figure includes 234 from Libya, 74 from Morocco, 38 from Germany, 6 from Sweden, 39 from Italy, 180 from Mauritania, and one from Spain.
Drammeh further stated that an additional 396 Gambian migrants returned home independently from eight different countries.
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