No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are lost following a boat transporting around 200 people attempting to reach Europe overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
