A minimum of seven people have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a boat ferrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African nations aimed at reducing irregular migration.
