No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a craft ferrying around 200 people attempting to reach the European continent capsized off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African countries aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
