At least seven souls have died and a significant number are lost in the wake of a boat transporting approximately 200 people trying to get to European shores capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the military confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African nations with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
