At least seven people lost their lives and numerous others are lost following a boat ferrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials said.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
