At least seven souls have died and numerous others are missing after a craft carrying approximately two hundred people attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with several North African countries designed to limiting undocumented migration.
