No fewer than seven individuals have perished and numerous others are missing after a boat ferrying around two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe sank near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates over nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway used by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African nations designed to curtailing illegal migration.