No fewer than seven individuals have died and many others are missing following a boat ferrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of North African countries with the goal of curtailing irregular migration.
