At least seven souls have perished and many others are missing in the wake of a craft ferrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African nations aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
