At least seven souls lost their lives and a significant number are lost after a boat ferrying about 200 people attempting to reach European shores overturned in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African countries aimed at limiting illegal migration.
