A minimum of seven individuals have perished and numerous others are lost after a vessel transporting approximately 200 migrants trying to get to European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials said.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with several North African nations aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
