No fewer than seven souls have died and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat ferrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing irregular migration.
