Scores Missing Following Boat Holding Two Hundred Migrants Goes Down off Gambia.
No fewer than seven people have died and many others are lost following a craft transporting about two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach European countries, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African nations with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
