No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.
