A minimum of seven souls have perished and many others are missing in the wake of a craft transporting around two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple North African countries aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
