A minimum of seven people have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a boat carrying around two hundred people trying to get to Europe capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North 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 hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway used by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of Maghreb states aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
