A minimum of seven people have perished and numerous others are missing after a boat carrying around two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African countries designed to limiting irregular migration.
