No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and a significant number are lost in the wake of a vessel carrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe capsized in waters near The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
