A minimum of seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost in the wake of a vessel carrying approximately two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent overturned off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with several North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
