A minimum of seven individuals have died and numerous others are missing in the wake of a vessel carrying approximately two hundred people seeking to enter Europe capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African countries with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
