A minimum of seven individuals have perished and a significant number are missing in the wake of a craft transporting approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe sank off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African nations with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
