A minimum of seven individuals have perished and numerous others are missing following a boat ferrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials said.
Authorities say several of the victims 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 said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with several Maghreb states aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
