A minimum of seven individuals have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a vessel transporting about 200 migrants trying to get to European shores capsized off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board 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 African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates over nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
