A minimum of seven people have died and many others remain unaccounted for following a vessel carrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the military said.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.
