No fewer than seven souls have died and a significant number are lost following a boat ferrying around 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African nations with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
