Scores Missing Following Vessel Holding Two Hundred Migrants Sinks near the coast of The Gambia.
No fewer than seven souls have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a vessel transporting about 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African nations with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
