At least seven souls lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat ferrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with several North African nations designed to limiting illegal migration.
