At least seven people lost their lives and a significant number are missing after a craft transporting about two hundred people trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the military said.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African countries with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
