A minimum of seven individuals have died and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft transporting about two hundred people seeking to enter Europe sank off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, often on perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
