Numerous People Lost Following Boat Holding Two Hundred Migrants Sinks in waters off Gambia.
No fewer than seven individuals have perished and numerous others are lost following a craft carrying about two hundred people seeking to enter European shores sank near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack 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 have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates over 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with several North African nations with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
