A minimum of seven individuals have died and numerous others are lost in the wake of a craft ferrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African nations with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
