A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft carrying approximately 200 people seeking to enter European shores capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who died have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African countries with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
