A minimum of seven people have perished and many others remain unaccounted for after a craft carrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with several North African nations designed to reducing illegal migration.
