At least seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are lost after a boat transporting around two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African countries with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
