At least seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing after a boat transporting approximately 200 people trying to get to European shores overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway used by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of Maghreb states designed to curtailing illegal migration.
