No fewer than seven people have perished and a significant number are lost in the wake of a vessel carrying about two hundred people trying to get to Europe sank in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway used by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African nations with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
