No fewer than seven souls have died and a significant number are lost after a boat ferrying approximately two hundred people attempting to reach Europe sank in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African countries with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
