By Adama Makasuba
The Gambia Navy has rescued about 120 suspected irregular migrants who were stranded on an island in Burniadu in the North Bank Region.
According to the Gambia Armed Forces, the operation took place on Sunday, 26 April 2026, at about 7:36pm after authorities received information that the group had been abandoned on the island for nearly a week.
The migrants were said to have been without access to food or clean drinking water, raising serious concerns about their safety and wellbeing.
Following the alert, the Gambia Navy swiftly deployed a rescue team to the area. The team successfully reached the stranded individuals and evacuated them without further incident.
Officials said the timely intervention helped prevent what could have been a worsening humanitarian situation.
After the rescue, the migrants were transported to the Naval Command in Banjul, where they are undergoing formal processing before being handed over to the relevant authorities.
Security sources say investigations will continue to determine the circumstances surrounding the group’s presence on the island and how they ended up stranded.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the nationalities of those rescued, but say further details will be provided after verification procedures are completed.
The rescue highlights ongoing maritime and migration challenges in the region, where irregular sea journeys continue to pose serious risks to human life.
