A minimum of seven people have perished and a significant number are lost after a craft carrying around 200 people trying to get to Europe overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, 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 "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of North African nations with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
