No fewer than seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing in the wake of a craft carrying around two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with several Maghreb states with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
