A minimum of seven people have died and a significant number are lost following a craft carrying around two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates more than nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with several North African nations aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
