Numerous People Lost After Craft Carrying Two Hundred Migrants Goes Down near the coast of The Gambia.
At least seven souls have died and many others remain unaccounted for following a boat transporting about two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has established pacts with several North African countries designed to limiting undocumented migration.
