At least seven people have died and many others are missing following a vessel carrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, often on dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with several North African countries designed to limiting illegal migration.
