No fewer than seven people have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a boat carrying approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military said.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations designed to limiting irregular migration.
