At least seven individuals have perished and many others are missing after a boat transporting around two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
