A minimum of seven people have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying around 200 people attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who died were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with several Maghreb states with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
