A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and a significant number are lost in the wake of a craft carrying approximately two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
