A minimum of seven people have died and a significant number are missing following a craft carrying approximately two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African nations aimed at reducing illegal migration.
