At least seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a vessel ferrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African countries aimed at reducing irregular migration.
