No fewer than seven individuals have died and numerous others are lost in the wake of a boat carrying around 200 people attempting to reach the European continent capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with several North African nations designed to limiting undocumented migration.