No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of Maghreb states designed to reducing illegal migration.
