A minimum of seven people have died and many others remain unaccounted for following a boat ferrying around two hundred people seeking to enter European shores overturned in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with several North African countries aimed at limiting illegal migration.
