A minimum of seven individuals have died and a significant number are missing following a craft transporting about two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in 2024 and estimates more than nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
