At least seven souls have died and a significant number are lost in the wake of a vessel transporting around 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent capsized off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials said.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African countries aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
