A minimum of seven people have died and many others remain unaccounted for after a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe sank in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
