At least seven people have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a vessel transporting approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with several North African nations designed to reducing illegal migration.