At least seven souls have perished and a significant number are missing following a vessel carrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to the EU, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states aimed at limiting irregular migration.
