At least seven individuals have perished and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying approximately two hundred people attempting to reach the European continent overturned in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to the EU, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at reducing irregular migration.
