A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are lost in the wake of a craft carrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
