Dozens Lost After Boat Transporting 200 Asylum Seekers Capsizes near the coast of the Gambian coast.
No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and many others are lost after a craft carrying approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and figures suggest over 9,000 people perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with several North African countries designed to reducing undocumented migration.
