A minimum of seven individuals have died and many others are missing after a craft carrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy initiated a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple North African nations designed to limiting undocumented migration.
