A minimum of seven individuals have perished and many others are missing after a vessel carrying around two hundred people seeking to enter Europe overturned off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
