A minimum of seven souls have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African countries designed to limiting irregular migration.
