At least seven people have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a vessel ferrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states aimed at reducing illegal migration.
