At least seven people have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a vessel transporting approximately two hundred people attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has reached agreements with several Maghreb states designed to reducing illegal migration.
