🔗 Share this article Numerous People Missing After Boat Carrying 200 Migrants Capsizes off Gambia. Authorities located the stricken boat stranded on a shoal, authorities say. At least seven individuals have died and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized in waters near Gambia, reports confirm. The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially. Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands. The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations. Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in 2024 and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey. Rescue Operation After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military said. Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation. The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment. A Common Migration Route This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain. Recently, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.