Africa-Press – Gambia. The Gambia Immigration Department (GID) on Friday announced the arrest of the alleged principal suspect linked to the deadly boat incident that occurred off Jinack on 31 December 2025.
In a statement, the GID said the arrest followed a joint investigation conducted in collaboration with Senegalese security agencies through coordinated intelligence-sharing efforts. The investigation drew on testimonies from migrants and data retrieved from the Migration Information and Data Analysis System deployed at designated border crossing points.
The suspect was identified as Amadou Cisse, born on 4 September 1991 in Bargny, Senegal. According to the GID, he allegedly organised the ill-fated wooden boat that departed from Jinack Village en route to the Canary Islands, Spain, carrying more than 250 migrants.
The incident resulted in at least 39 deaths, while 112 persons were rescued. Others remain unaccounted for, according to information from joint search, rescue and recovery operations conducted by Gambian and Senegalese naval authorities.
The GID further stated that the suspect reportedly confessed to organising the journey in collaboration with two Gambian nationals residing in Jinack Village and Kerr Jatta.
“The arrest underscores the significance of close border cooperation and intelligence sharing in combating transnational organised crime,” the statement said.
The GID urged members of the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspected migrant smuggling activities to immigration or other security services.
It reaffirmed that combating irregular migration and migrant smuggling remains a shared national responsibility aimed at dismantling criminal networks, protecting lives and safeguarding national security.
