At least seven people have died and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat transporting approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe sank off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African nations with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
