No fewer than seven individuals have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a craft transporting about 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates over 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African nations aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
