No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number are lost after a craft transporting approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and estimates more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to the EU, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African nations aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
