No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a boat transporting approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores sank in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with several Maghreb states with the goal of curtailing irregular migration.
