At least seven souls have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a vessel transporting around 200 people attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African nations with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
