At least seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying about 200 people trying to get to European shores sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
