A minimum of seven individuals have died and a significant number are missing after a boat carrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates over 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the military said.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states designed to reducing illegal migration.
