No fewer than seven people lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies 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.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
