At least seven people lost their lives and numerous others are lost after a vessel transporting approximately two hundred people attempting to reach European shores overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter Europe, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at reducing illegal migration.
