At least seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number are missing in the wake of a craft transporting around two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with several North African nations aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
