A minimum of seven souls have perished and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African nations with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
