No fewer than seven people lost their lives and numerous others are lost after a boat transporting about two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to the EU, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with several Maghreb states aimed at limiting irregular migration.
