A minimum of seven people lost their lives and many others are missing following a boat carrying around two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has established pacts with multiple North African countries designed to limiting illegal migration.
