At least seven souls have died and many others remain unaccounted for after a boat ferrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores sank in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven people who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states designed to limiting irregular migration.
