At least seven people lost their lives and numerous others are lost following a craft carrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores overturned off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states aimed at limiting illegal migration.
