At least seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a craft ferrying approximately 200 people trying to get to Europe capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with several North African countries with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
