A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and many others are missing after a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants trying to get to European shores sank off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African nations designed to curtailing irregular migration.
