At least seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are missing following a boat transporting about 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple North African nations designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
