At least seven people have died and many others remain unaccounted for following a craft transporting approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores capsized near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Canaries in the year 2024 and estimates more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries aimed at curtailing illegal migration.