A minimum of seven individuals have died and a significant number are lost in the wake of a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
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 heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African countries aimed at limiting irregular migration.
