No fewer than seven souls have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying approximately two hundred people trying to get to the European continent overturned in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military said.
Officials state 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 perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African nations aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
