At least seven individuals have died and many others are missing after a craft ferrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach the European continent sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a search operation, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of Maghreb states designed to limiting illegal migration.
