At least seven individuals have perished and numerous others are lost in the wake of a craft ferrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African countries with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
