A minimum of seven people have perished and many others remain unaccounted for after a boat carrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a search operation, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African countries aimed at limiting irregular migration.
