At least seven people have perished and many others are missing following a vessel carrying around 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in 2024 and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
