No fewer than seven people lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying approximately 200 people seeking to enter the European continent overturned in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with several North African nations designed to curtailing illegal migration.
