Seven Dead, Dozens Missing in Gambia Migrant Boat Capsizing

At least seven people died and dozens remain missing after a boat carrying more than 200 migrants capsized off the coast of Gambia in the North Bank region late last week, Gambian authorities reported.

The vessel, believed to be heading toward Europe's Canary Islands, went down around midnight on Thursday near the village of Jinack. The Gambian Ministry of Defence stated that the boat was later found grounded on a sandbank. Rescue teams recovered seven bodies and saved 96 survivors, with 10 of those in critical condition receiving urgent medical attention. The passengers hailed from Gambia, Senegal and other West African countries, officials said, as authorities work to confirm their identities.

The Gambian navy launched a search-and-rescue operation shortly after receiving a distress call, deploying several vessels along with assistance from local fishermen and volunteers. President Adama Barrow announced in a national broadcast that the government had activated its emergency response plan and allocated resources to support the effort and aid survivors. "Some of the survivors were undergoing urgent medical care," Barrow said, expressing condolences to the families and vowing a...