At least seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat transporting about two hundred people attempting to reach the European continent sank off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates more than nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials said.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with multiple North African countries designed to limiting undocumented migration.
