No fewer than seven souls have died and a significant number are lost in the wake of a craft carrying around 200 people trying to get to the European continent overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who died were found, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
