A minimum of seven souls have died and numerous others are lost following a vessel ferrying about 200 people seeking to enter European shores capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with several North African countries aimed at limiting illegal migration.
