At least seven people lost their lives and numerous others are lost in the wake of a craft ferrying around two hundred people seeking to enter European shores sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 people perished trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway used by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
