No fewer than seven people have perished and many others are lost in the wake of a vessel transporting around two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to Europe, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
