A minimum of seven people have perished and a significant number are lost after a vessel carrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to Europe, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations designed to reducing undocumented migration.
