At least seven individuals have perished and many others remain unaccounted for after a vessel transporting about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African nations designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
