A minimum of seven people lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for after a boat carrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
