A minimum of seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing in the wake of a craft carrying approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe sank near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish 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 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African countries aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
