No fewer than seven people have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has established pacts with several Maghreb states designed to limiting illegal migration.
