At least seven souls lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat carrying approximately 200 people seeking to enter European shores sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military said.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter Europe, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of Maghreb states aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
