No fewer than seven people have perished and many others are lost in the wake of a craft carrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to the EU, typically through dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
