Dozens Missing Following Boat Transporting Two Hundred Migrants Capsizes off Gambia.

At least seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying around two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.

The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.

Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.

The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.

Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in 2024 and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people have died trying.

Rescue Operation

After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military said.

Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.

The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.

An Established Corridor

Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.

Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.