At least seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying around 200 migrants trying to get to European shores sank off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in 2024 and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African countries with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
