No fewer than seven people have died and many others are lost in the wake of a vessel ferrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates more than nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
