A minimum of seven individuals have perished and numerous others are missing after a boat carrying approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores sank off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is one of the routes used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African nations with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
