A minimum of seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost after a boat transporting approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach European countries, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African countries with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
