A minimum of seven people have died and numerous others are missing following a boat ferrying approximately 200 people seeking to enter European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft 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 deceased of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with several North African countries designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
