At least seven people lost their lives and numerous others are missing after a vessel transporting about two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
