At least seven individuals have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat transporting around two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe sank in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African countries with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
