No fewer than seven souls have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a craft ferrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
