No fewer than seven souls have perished and numerous others are lost after a vessel carrying around two hundred people seeking to enter European shores sank near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
