A minimum of seven individuals have perished and numerous others are missing after a boat transporting about 200 people seeking to enter Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
