No fewer than seven souls have died and numerous others are missing following a craft carrying around 200 people attempting to reach European shores overturned off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African nations designed to curtailing irregular migration.
