At least seven individuals have perished and numerous others are missing after a boat transporting about 200 migrants trying to get to European shores capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with several Maghreb states with the goal of curtailing irregular migration.
