At least seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost following a vessel carrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
