At least seven people have died and a significant number are missing in the wake of a craft transporting around two hundred people attempting to reach European shores capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway used by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African nations designed to limiting illegal migration.
