No fewer than seven souls have perished and a significant number are missing in the wake of a boat ferrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into the EU.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states aimed at reducing irregular migration.
