No fewer than seven people lost their lives and numerous others are lost after a craft ferrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African nations designed to curtailing illegal migration.
