Dozens Missing Following Boat Holding 200 Migrants Capsizes off The Gambia.
At least seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a craft carrying around two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent sank in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with several Maghreb states designed to limiting undocumented migration.
