Scores Missing After Craft Holding 200 Migrants Sinks off Gambia.
At least seven people have perished and numerous others are lost following a vessel transporting about two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states aimed at reducing irregular migration.
