No fewer than seven people have died and many others are missing in the wake of a boat transporting about 200 migrants trying to get to Europe capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with multiple North African countries aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
