No fewer than seven people have died and numerous others are missing following a vessel transporting about 200 people trying to get to European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
