A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number are missing after a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants trying to get to European shores sank near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African countries designed to reducing irregular migration.
