At least seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost in the wake of a vessel carrying around 200 people trying to get to Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
