No fewer than seven people have perished and numerous others are missing following a boat ferrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates over nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African countries designed to curtailing illegal migration.
