No fewer than seven people have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a craft ferrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
