A minimum of seven people have perished and numerous others are lost following a boat ferrying approximately 200 people seeking to enter the European continent sank in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple North African countries with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
