Dozens Missing Following Craft Carrying 200 Migrants Capsizes near the coast of The Gambia.
At least seven people have perished and a significant number are lost following a craft transporting around two hundred people attempting to reach the European continent sank off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter Europe, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African countries designed to reducing irregular migration.
