A minimum of seven individuals have perished and numerous others are missing after a craft transporting about 200 people trying to get to the European continent sank in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
