A minimum of seven people lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat transporting about two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter Europe, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African countries with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
