At least seven souls have died and a significant number are missing in the wake of a boat ferrying around 200 people seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African countries aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
