No fewer than seven people have died and numerous others are lost after a vessel carrying approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military said.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
