At least seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are lost in the wake of a craft transporting about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African nations designed to limiting illegal migration.
