No fewer than seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a craft transporting approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores overturned off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
