No fewer than seven souls have perished and many others remain unaccounted for after a vessel ferrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach European shores capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 people perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with several Maghreb states aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
