No fewer than seven people have perished and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat transporting around two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states designed to limiting illegal migration.
