At least seven people have died and a significant number are lost in the wake of a vessel ferrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African nations designed to reducing undocumented migration.
