A Backway Boat
By Buba Gagigo
Migration activist Ebrima Drammeh has revealed that 1,603 Gambians lost their lives attempting to migrate to Europe through the dangerous “Backway” route in 2024. Of these, 1,557 perished at sea, while 46 died on land.
“1603 Gambia migrants have lost their lives in this backway journey to Europe in 2024; 1557 lost their lives in the sea, and 46 died in the land. Gambian migrants involved in 46 migrant boats that have gone missing without any trace, about 880 Gambia migrants dead or missing in the sea and 374 going missing in the land, we have a record of 1254 Gambia migrants missing,” Drammeh revealed.
He further reported that 5,873 Gambians successfully reached Europe in 2024.
“In Spain, they come with 151 different boats from Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal and Gambia with 4217 people. From Libya and Tunisia, they come with 152 different boats with 1656 Gambia migrants arrived in Italy in 2024.
Drammeh also highlighted the interception of 4,784 Gambian migrants in 2024, involving 47 migrant boats. These included 11 boats intercepted in The Gambia, 13 in Senegal, 17 in Mauritania, and 6 in Morocco.
“6149 Gambians migrants had been deported or returned back to the Gambia by themselves in 2024. IOM returns 1753 people from Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Niger, Lebanon, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. 4396 people have returned by themselves from 9 different countries to the Gambia,” he said.