No fewer than seven individuals have died and a significant number are lost following a craft carrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores sank near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
