No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are missing following a craft ferrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African nations designed to reducing irregular migration.
