No fewer than seven individuals have perished and a significant number are missing after a vessel carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety 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 hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven people who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
