No fewer than seven people lost their lives and a significant number are missing in the wake of a boat transporting approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple North African nations aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
