No fewer than seven individuals have died and numerous others are missing following a craft ferrying around two hundred people trying to get to Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military said.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations aimed at reducing illegal migration.
