No fewer than seven individuals have perished and many others are missing in the wake of a vessel ferrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with multiple North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
