A minimum of seven individuals have perished and numerous others are missing after a boat carrying approximately 200 people trying to get to the European continent capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing illegal migration.
