A minimum of seven people have perished and numerous others are missing following a boat ferrying approximately two hundred people attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
