No fewer than seven people lost their lives and a significant number are lost following a craft ferrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates more than 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states designed to reducing undocumented migration.
