No fewer than seven individuals have died and a significant number are lost in the wake of a vessel ferrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach Europe sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway used by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of Maghreb states aimed at reducing illegal migration.
