A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a vessel carrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants seeking to get to Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with several North African nations with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
