At least seven people have died and numerous others are missing after a boat carrying approximately 200 people seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African nations with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
