At least seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing following a boat ferrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach European shores sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by migrants seeking to get to Europe, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of North African countries aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
