A minimum of seven people have perished and numerous others are missing after a vessel carrying about 200 migrants trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African nations aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
