No fewer than seven individuals have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants trying to get to European shores overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, often on perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African nations aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
