No fewer than seven souls have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat ferrying around 200 migrants trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday near 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 the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with several North African nations with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
