No fewer than seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing after a boat carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
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 later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.