No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are missing following a boat carrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African countries designed to limiting illegal migration.
