A minimum of seven people have perished and many others are lost after a craft transporting around 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
