At least seven people lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying about 200 migrants trying to get to Europe capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say 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 recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of Maghreb states with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
