At least seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number are missing following a vessel transporting around two hundred people attempting to reach European shores capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states designed to limiting undocumented migration.
