A minimum of seven individuals have perished and many others remain unaccounted for after a vessel ferrying approximately 200 people seeking to enter Europe capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
