A minimum of seven souls have perished and many others are missing following a boat transporting around 200 people seeking to enter European shores sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African nations with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
