Scores Lost After Vessel Holding 200 Asylum Seekers Capsizes near the coast of Gambia.
No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and a significant number are lost after a vessel transporting about 200 people trying to get to Europe capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and estimates more than 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry said.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes taken by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with several North African countries aimed at limiting irregular migration.
