At least seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost in the wake of a vessel transporting about 200 migrants trying to get to Europe sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates over nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African nations aimed at limiting irregular migration.
