🔗 Share this article Dozens Lost Following Craft Holding 200 Migrants Sinks in waters off the Gambian coast. The shipwrecked vessel was found beached on a sandbar, officials report. No fewer than seven souls have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a boat ferrying around two hundred people seeking to enter Europe capsized off the coast of Gambia, officials state. The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially. 96 individuals 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 Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations. Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in the year 2024 and estimates over 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey. Ongoing Mission After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials said. Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified. The deceased of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment. A Frequent Pathway This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on perilous trips by sea and land. Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with several North African countries aimed at curtailing illegal migration.