No fewer than seven individuals have died and many others are lost after a vessel carrying around two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African nations aimed at limiting illegal migration.
