A minimum of seven individuals have died and numerous others are lost after a vessel ferrying about two hundred people trying to get to Europe overturned in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the military said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with several Maghreb states aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
