At least seven people have died and numerous others are missing after a vessel transporting around 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates more than nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African countries designed to reducing undocumented migration.
