Scores Missing After Vessel Carrying Two Hundred Migrants Goes Down near the coast of the Gambian coast.
A minimum of seven souls have died and many others are missing in the wake of a vessel ferrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach the European continent overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals were pulled to safety 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 dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states aimed at reducing irregular migration.
