A minimum of seven people have died and a significant number are missing after a vessel carrying about two hundred people attempting to reach European shores sank in waters near The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military said.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, typically through dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African countries with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
