At least seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a vessel carrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military said.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with several North African nations designed to reducing illegal migration.
