A minimum of seven people have perished and many others are missing in the wake of a craft transporting approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
