A minimum of seven people have died and a significant number are lost in the wake of a boat transporting about two hundred people attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway used by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African countries designed to limiting undocumented migration.
