At least seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost following a boat carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African countries aimed at reducing illegal migration.
