At least seven individuals have perished and a significant number are lost following a vessel ferrying around 200 people seeking to enter European shores overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canaries in 2024 and estimates over 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.
