A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a vessel transporting about two hundred people trying to get to Europe overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states designed to limiting illegal migration.
