At least seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are missing in the wake of a vessel ferrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a search operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of North African nations with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
