A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are missing in the wake of a vessel ferrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest 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 search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military said.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants seeking to get to the EU, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of Maghreb states with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
