No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are missing following a craft carrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe sank off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "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 other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
