A minimum of seven souls have perished and many others are missing after a boat transporting approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of North African countries aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
