No fewer than seven souls have perished and many others are missing after a vessel ferrying around two hundred people trying to get to Europe sank in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned were found, 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 frequent corridor used by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
