A minimum of seven souls have died and many others are lost in the wake of a craft carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with several North African countries aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
