No fewer than seven people have died and numerous others are missing following a craft carrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African countries designed to curtailing illegal migration.
