No fewer than seven souls have died and numerous others are missing following a craft transporting about two hundred people trying to get to European shores sank in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has established pacts with several North African nations aimed at limiting irregular migration.
