At least seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing after a vessel carrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with several North African countries with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
