At least seven individuals lost their lives and many others are lost after a vessel carrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned 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 country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who died were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with several North African countries with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
