A minimum of seven people lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway used by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with several Maghreb states with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
