At least seven people lost their lives and many others are missing following a vessel transporting about two hundred people trying to get to the European continent sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of Maghreb states designed to limiting undocumented migration.
