Numerous People Lost Following Craft Transporting 200 Migrants Goes Down in waters off Gambia.
No fewer than seven individuals have died and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat transporting about 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and estimates over 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African countries designed to limiting irregular migration.
