Numerous People Unaccounted For Following Craft Transporting Two Hundred Migrants Capsizes near the coast of Gambia.
A minimum of seven individuals have perished and many others remain unaccounted for after a vessel transporting about two hundred people attempting to reach Europe sank in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African nations designed to limiting undocumented migration.
