A minimum of seven people lost their lives and many others are lost in the wake of a vessel ferrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board 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 migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.
