At least seven souls lost their lives and many others are missing following a vessel transporting approximately 200 people trying to get to European shores sank in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates more than nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with several Maghreb states aimed at reducing irregular migration.
