At least seven souls lost their lives and many others are missing after a craft carrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
