Numerous People Missing After Vessel Carrying 200 Migrants Goes Down in waters off The Gambia.
A minimum of seven souls have died and many others are missing following a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military said.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states designed to curtailing illegal migration.
