No fewer than seven souls have perished and many others are missing after a vessel ferrying about 200 people trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African countries with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
