A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for after a craft transporting approximately 200 people seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry said.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of North African nations aimed at reducing illegal migration.
