At least seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are missing following a vessel ferrying around two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy initiated a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African nations designed to limiting undocumented migration.
