A minimum of seven souls have died and many others are missing after a boat carrying approximately 200 migrants trying to get to Europe capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defence ministry said.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple North African countries with the goal of curtailing irregular migration.
