At least seven people have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a craft transporting about two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe sank in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with several North African nations aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
