At least seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a vessel ferrying about two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states designed to reducing illegal migration.
