A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are missing after a craft ferrying approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe sank off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states designed to reducing illegal migration.
