At least seven individuals have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat ferrying approximately 200 people seeking to enter the European continent capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military said.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African countries aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
