No fewer than seven people have perished and a significant number are lost after a craft transporting around 200 people attempting to reach the European continent overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety 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 dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states aimed at limiting irregular migration.
