No fewer than seven individuals have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel transporting about two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with several North African nations aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
