At least seven souls have perished and many others are missing following a boat carrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants trying to reach European countries, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African countries with the goal of curtailing irregular migration.
