A minimum of seven people have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a boat carrying around 200 people seeking to enter European shores capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have died trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials said.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states aimed at limiting illegal migration.
