At least seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost following a vessel carrying about two hundred people attempting to reach European shores overturned off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African nations with the goal of curtailing irregular migration.
