๐ Share this article Numerous People Unaccounted For Following Vessel Carrying 200 Asylum Seekers Sinks near the coast of the Gambian coast. Authorities located the stricken boat beached on a sandbar, authorities say. No fewer than seven souls have perished and a significant number are missing after a boat carrying around two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state. The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement. Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands. The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations. Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and data indicates over nine thousand individuals perished during the journey. Ongoing Mission After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials reported. Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked. The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment. A Frequent Pathway This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land. Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African countries aimed at curtailing irregular migration.