No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and many others are missing after a boat ferrying about 200 migrants trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a search operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of Maghreb states designed to limiting irregular migration.
