At least seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are missing following a vessel transporting approximately two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states aimed at reducing irregular migration.
