At least seven individuals have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft carrying approximately 200 migrants trying to get to Europe overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with several North African nations with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
