No fewer than seven people lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for after a vessel carrying approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
