A minimum of seven souls have died and many others are lost after a craft carrying about two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent sank in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
This West African nation is one of the routes taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African countries with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
Elena Hartwell is a multidisciplinary artist and educator passionate about fostering creative communities in London.