Scores Lost Following Boat Holding Two Hundred Migrants Capsizes off The Gambia.
A minimum of seven individuals have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the military confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing irregular migration.
