At least seven people have perished and a significant number are lost after a craft ferrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach European shores overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants seeking to get to European countries, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with several Maghreb states designed to reducing undocumented migration.
