A minimum of seven individuals have died and a significant number are missing after a boat carrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with a number of North African nations designed to reducing illegal migration.
