No fewer than seven individuals have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "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 on board the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.
