At least seven people lost their lives and many others are missing after a boat ferrying around 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with several North African countries with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
