At least seven souls have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel transporting about two hundred people attempting to reach European shores overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
