A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are missing in the wake of a boat transporting approximately two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "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 other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, typically through dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of North African countries designed to limiting undocumented migration.
