No fewer than seven people have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat ferrying around two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at limiting irregular migration.
