At least seven individuals have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft carrying approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states aimed at reducing illegal migration.
