At least seven people lost their lives and numerous others are lost in the wake of a boat carrying around 200 people trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 people perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants seeking to get to Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with several North African nations aimed at reducing irregular migration.