No fewer than seven people have perished and numerous others are lost following a craft ferrying around 200 people attempting to reach European shores sank in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have died trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea 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 utilized by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations designed to limiting undocumented migration.
