Scores Unaccounted For Following Boat Holding 200 Migrants Goes Down in waters off Gambia.
No fewer than seven individuals have died and a significant number are missing following a craft transporting about 200 people seeking to enter Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with several North African nations with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
