Scores Lost Following Vessel Transporting 200 Asylum Seekers Sinks off the Gambian coast.
At least seven souls have died and numerous others are lost following a vessel carrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African nations with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
