A minimum of seven souls have perished and many others are missing after a vessel transporting about two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is one of the routes used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with several North African countries aimed at limiting illegal migration.
