A minimum of seven souls have died and numerous others are missing following a vessel transporting approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African countries with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
