A minimum of seven people have died and numerous others are lost following a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants trying to get to Europe capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, often on dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
