Dozens Lost After Vessel Carrying 200 Migrants Sinks off Gambia.

At least seven people have perished and numerous others are missing in the wake of a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.

The vessel capsized late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.

96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.

The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.

Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in 2024 and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished trying.

Search and Rescue Efforts

Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military said.

Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.

The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.

A Common Migration Route

The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.

In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African countries with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.