A minimum of seven souls have perished and many others are lost after a craft ferrying about 200 migrants trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations designed to curtailing illegal migration.
