At least seven people have died and a significant number are missing in the wake of a vessel transporting around two hundred people trying to get to European shores capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
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 perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of North African nations with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
