A minimum of seven souls have perished and numerous others are lost following a craft carrying around two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants seeking to get to Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
