A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and many others are missing following a craft ferrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe sank in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with several Maghreb states with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
