At least seven people have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat ferrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores sank in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", 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 traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of North African nations designed to limiting illegal migration.
