At least seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a boat ferrying about 200 people trying to get to European shores sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian 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 reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple North African nations designed to limiting irregular migration.
