A minimum of seven souls have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying approximately two hundred people attempting to reach European shores sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states designed to curtailing irregular migration.
