Numerous People Missing After Vessel Carrying 200 Migrants Capsizes off Gambia.
A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military said.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African countries aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
