The Gambia Navy has rescued 60 suspected irregular migrants after intercepting a boat in distress off the coast of Bunyadu on Tuesday.

The vessel was spotted at around 12:10pm, prompting a rescue operation in which all those on board were safely transported to the Naval Command in Banjul.

According to preliminary screening, the group comprised 55 Gambians, three Senegalese, one Guinean and one Nigerian, including 41 men, 10 women and nine minors.

A heavily pregnant woman, believed to be close to giving birth, was immediately transferred to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital for urgent medical treatment.

The remaining migrants are being processed in line with national laws and humanitarian procedures.

The Gambia Navy said it remains committed to protecting lives at sea, securing the country’s maritime borders and working with national and international partners to tackle irregular migration and other maritime security challenges