No fewer than seven individuals have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel transporting approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who died were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states designed to reducing undocumented migration.
