A minimum of seven people have died and a significant number are missing in the wake of a craft ferrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states designed to reducing undocumented migration.
