No fewer than seven people have perished and many others are lost following a boat carrying about two hundred people attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants seeking to get to the EU, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
