A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and many others are lost after a vessel ferrying around 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent sank near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 people perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.