At least seven souls lost their lives and many others are missing following a craft ferrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African nations designed to reducing irregular migration.
