No fewer than seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing following a boat carrying about two hundred people trying to get to European shores sank in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of North African countries with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
