A minimum of seven people lost their lives and numerous others are missing following a craft transporting about two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned 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 Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing 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 become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes taken by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
