No fewer than seven people have died and a significant number are lost following a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants trying to get to European shores capsized off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say 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 retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple North African nations aimed at reducing irregular migration.
