A minimum of seven people lost their lives and many others are lost following a vessel ferrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with several North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
