At least seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing in the wake of a boat ferrying around two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states designed to limiting undocumented migration.
