A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a boat ferrying around 200 people attempting to reach Europe capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates over 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of Maghreb states with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
