At least seven souls lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a boat transporting around two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships 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 identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states designed to limiting irregular migration.
