No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and a significant number are lost following a vessel transporting around 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say 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 retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African nations with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
