No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are lost following a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
