At least seven individuals have died and numerous others are lost in the wake of a vessel carrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped 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 stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with several North African countries with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
