At least seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number are lost in the wake of a craft carrying around 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African countries designed to curtailing illegal migration.
