No fewer than seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost in the wake of a craft transporting approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
