A minimum of seven souls have died and a significant number are missing following a vessel transporting around two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe overturned off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night 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 were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with several North African countries designed to reducing undocumented migration.
