A minimum of seven people lost their lives and many others are lost in the wake of a vessel carrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with several North African countries with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
