A minimum of seven people have perished and a significant number are missing after a boat ferrying around 200 people trying to get to Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
