At least seven individuals have perished and a significant number are lost in the wake of a craft transporting around two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest over 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach the EU, often on perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
