A minimum of seven people lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several Maghreb states designed to limiting undocumented migration.
