A minimum of seven souls have died and numerous others are lost after a vessel carrying around two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack village 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 search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and estimates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states designed to reducing illegal migration.
