A minimum of seven souls have died and a significant number are missing in the wake of a boat carrying around two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
