No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are lost after a vessel ferrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African countries aimed at limiting illegal migration.
