No fewer than seven people have died and numerous others are lost following a boat transporting about 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent sank off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with several Maghreb states aimed at limiting irregular migration.
