No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are lost after a craft ferrying about two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with several North African countries aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
