No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft transporting approximately two hundred people attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military said.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African countries designed to reducing undocumented migration.
