At least seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing in the wake of a vessel ferrying approximately 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African nations with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
