At least seven people lost their lives and many others are missing following a vessel ferrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent sank near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who died were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes used by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with several North African countries with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
