No fewer than seven souls have perished and a significant number are missing in the wake of a craft carrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants seeking to get to European countries, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states designed to limiting irregular migration.
