At least seven souls have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African countries designed to limiting illegal migration.
