A minimum of seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost in the wake of a boat ferrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores sank near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of Maghreb states designed to limiting undocumented migration.
