A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number are lost following a vessel carrying around 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who died were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African nations aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
