A minimum of seven individuals have died and many others are missing in the wake of a boat ferrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
