Not less than seven folks have died and lots of others are lacking after a ship carrying about 200 migrants making an attempt to achieve Europe capsized off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village within the North Financial institution Area and it was later discovered “grounded on a sandbank”, the nation’s defence ministry mentioned in a press release.
Ninety-six folks have been rescued to date and a search is constant for different passengers who have been aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading in direction of Spain’s Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grow to be an more and more frequent route for African migrants attempting to achieve Europe.
Practically 47,000 folks reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and the Spanish non-government organisation Caminando Fronteras estimates greater than 9,000 migrants have died attempting.
After Wednesday’s accident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of naval vessels and a fishing boat that got here to help, the defence ministry mentioned.
Authorities say a number of of the victims will not be Gambian nationals and that their identities are nonetheless being verified.
The our bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of these rescued are mentioned to be in vital situation and receiving pressing medical care.
The Gambia is without doubt one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to achieve Europe, typically on harmful journeys by sea and land.
In recent times, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of North African international locations aimed toward lowering irregular migration.