No fewer than seven people have perished and a significant number are lost following a vessel transporting around two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway used by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African nations with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
