Scores Lost After Boat Holding 200 Migrants Capsizes off The Gambia.

A minimum of seven people have perished and numerous others are lost following a vessel transporting approximately 200 people attempting to reach Europe overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.

The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.

96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.

The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.

Close to 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.

Ongoing Mission

Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.

Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.

The deceased of the seven people who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.

An Established Corridor

This West African nation is a common pathway used by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.

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