A minimum of seven people have died and numerous others are missing after a boat carrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has established pacts with several North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
