At least seven people have perished and many others remain unaccounted for after a boat carrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach Europe overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 people have died trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with several North African nations with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
