No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and many others are lost after a vessel ferrying around two hundred people attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military said.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
