No fewer than seven people have perished and numerous others are lost in the wake of a craft transporting around 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in last year and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states designed to reducing illegal migration.
