A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for after a craft carrying approximately 200 people trying to get to Europe capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates over nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African countries aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
