A minimum of seven individuals have perished and many others are lost following a craft ferrying around two hundred people attempting to reach European shores capsized off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who died were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states designed to reducing irregular migration.
