Irregular migration: a pirogue departing from Gambia runs aground in Gandiol with 171 people on board

The Saint-Louis Territorial Brigade, reinforced by the Surveillance and Intervention Squadron (E SI) of Saint-Louis, intervened on October 20, 2026 at Pilote Bar, in the commune of Gandiol, after the grounding of a pirogue carrying one hundred and seventy-one (171) candidates for irregular emigration of various nationalities.

The operation took place as part of the fight against irregular migration, in perfect coordination with the Northern Naval Base.

According to initial reports, the candidates left the Gambian coast on the night of October 15, 2026, around 11 p.m., bound for Spain. Each reportedly paid between 300,000 and 600,000 CFA francs for this clandestine journey.

However, the poor weather conditions and the state of the sea forced the boat to land on October 20, 2026, around 7 a.m., at the Pilote Bar river, with the help of pirogue operators from Guet-Ndar.

The toll stands at one hundred and seventy-one (171) survivors. According to Colonel Ibrahima Ndiaye, speaking to Seneweb, there are thirty-seven (37) Senegalese, including two (2) women, one hundred and fourteen (114) Gambians, including sixty (60) women, and one (1) Guinean national from Conakry. The group also includes twelve (12) children: ten (10) Gambians (five (5) girls and five (5) boys) and two (2) Senegalese.

Furthermore, seven (7) people, including six (6) Gambians and one (1) Senegalese, were evacuated to the Saint-Louis Regional Hospital for medical treatment. No loss of life was reported.

As soon as the alert was raised, members of the Saint-Louis Territorial Brigade, supported by the Saint-Louis ESI, went to the scene for rescue, security and identification operations for the people concerned.

The operation also resulted in the seizure of one (01) canoe and ten (10) twenty (20) liter jerrycans of gasoline. The individuals were taken to the unit for identification purposes.

In addition, two (2) individuals handed over to the Gendarmerie by the military personnel of the Northern Naval Base are being held for questioning. The suspected smuggler and the captain of the pirogue remain at large.