At least seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a vessel carrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores sank in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with a number of Maghreb states designed to curtailing illegal migration.
