A minimum of seven souls have died and many others are missing after a boat ferrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores sank off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with several North African countries aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
