At least seven souls have died and a significant number are missing in the wake of a vessel carrying about two hundred people attempting to reach the European continent capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who died were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of Maghreb states designed to curtailing illegal migration.
