No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number are missing following a boat transporting about two hundred people attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials said.
Officials state several of the victims 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 said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African countries designed to limiting undocumented migration.
