A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are missing after a vessel carrying approximately two hundred people trying to get to Europe capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple North African countries designed to reducing irregular migration.
