A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for following a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African countries designed to limiting illegal migration.
