No fewer than seven souls have perished and numerous others are lost in the wake of a craft ferrying approximately 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
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 Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes used by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African countries aimed at limiting irregular migration.
