At least seven people lost their lives and a significant number are lost in the wake of a vessel ferrying about 200 people attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of Maghreb states designed to reducing undocumented migration.
