A minimum of seven people lost their lives and numerous others are missing after a boat carrying about 200 migrants trying to get to European shores overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African nations designed to reducing undocumented migration.
