At least seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a vessel carrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach the European continent capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
