No fewer than seven souls have died and numerous others are lost in the wake of a vessel carrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes used by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with several North African nations aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
