A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft carrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
