No fewer than seven souls have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a craft carrying around 200 people attempting to reach the European continent capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of North African countries aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
