Dozens Lost After Boat Transporting 200 Migrants Capsizes near the coast of the Gambian coast.

At least seven individuals have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a craft carrying about two hundred people attempting to reach Europe sank in waters near The Gambia, authorities say.

The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.

96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.

The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.

Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.

Ongoing Mission

In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.

Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.

The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.

A Frequent Pathway

Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.

Recently, the European Union has established pacts with several Maghreb states designed to curtailing irregular migration.