A minimum of seven individuals have perished and a significant number are missing after a vessel carrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canaries in 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with several North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.
