Dozens Unaccounted For After Boat Holding Two Hundred Asylum Seekers Capsizes in waters off The Gambia.
A minimum of seven individuals have died and many others are lost in the wake of a craft carrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach Europe sank in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military said.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African countries aimed at reducing irregular migration.
