A minimum of seven souls have perished and numerous others are lost after a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants trying to get to Europe overturned in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple North African countries designed to limiting irregular migration.
