At least seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of North African nations with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
