A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and many others are missing in the wake of a boat transporting about 200 people attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with several Maghreb states with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
