A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat transporting about two hundred people seeking to enter Europe sank in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven people who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
