At least seven individuals have perished and numerous others are lost after a vessel carrying around 200 people attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, typically through dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with several North African nations designed to limiting illegal migration.
