A minimum of seven souls have perished and numerous others are lost following a craft carrying approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing irregular migration.
