Dozens Lost After Boat Transporting 200 Migrants Goes Down near the coast of the Gambian coast.
No fewer than seven individuals have perished and many others remain unaccounted for following a craft transporting around two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
