A minimum of seven individuals have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat carrying approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to the EU, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African countries designed to limiting irregular migration.
