No fewer than seven people lost their lives and a significant number are lost after a vessel transporting approximately 200 people trying to get to the European continent overturned in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.
