A minimum of seven people have perished and numerous others are missing following a boat transporting about two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing illegal migration.
