Dozens Unaccounted For Following Craft Holding Two Hundred Migrants Sinks near the coast of the Gambian coast.
At least seven individuals lost their lives and many others are lost after a craft carrying around two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals were pulled to safety 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 dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states aimed at curtailing illegal migration.