At least seven souls have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a craft transporting about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe sank off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African countries with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
