A minimum of seven people lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a vessel carrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states designed to reducing illegal migration.
