A minimum of seven people lost their lives and many others are lost after a craft transporting around 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway used by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states designed to limiting undocumented migration.
