No fewer than seven people lost their lives and many others are lost in the wake of a vessel transporting approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states designed to curtailing illegal migration.
