A minimum of seven individuals have died and many others are lost after a boat carrying around 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates more than nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry said.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of Maghreb states aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
