A minimum of seven people have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a vessel ferrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who died were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African nations designed to curtailing irregular migration.
