Numerous People Missing After Vessel Holding 200 Asylum Seekers Capsizes off The Gambia.
A minimum of seven people have died and many others remain unaccounted for following a craft carrying around 200 people trying to get to the European continent sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in 2024 and estimates over nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter Europe, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries aimed at reducing illegal migration.
