A minimum of seven people have perished and a significant number are missing in the wake of a craft ferrying about 200 people attempting to reach the European continent capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African countries with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
