A minimum of seven souls have perished and numerous others are lost in the wake of a boat transporting about two hundred people seeking to enter Europe overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries aimed at limiting illegal migration.
