At least seven individuals have died and numerous others are lost in the wake of a boat carrying around 200 people trying to get to the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with a number of Maghreb states with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
