No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying approximately two hundred people attempting to reach European shores overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
