No fewer than seven individuals have perished and a significant number are lost after a vessel carrying around 200 people attempting to reach Europe overturned off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military said.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has established pacts with a number of North African nations designed to limiting illegal migration.
