No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a craft transporting about two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations designed to curtailing illegal migration.
