No fewer than seven souls have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a boat transporting about 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized in waters near The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path 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 in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with multiple North African nations with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
