At least seven individuals have died and a significant number are missing following a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants trying to get to European shores capsized off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with several Maghreb states aimed at limiting irregular migration.
