At least seven people lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a craft carrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in last year and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple North African countries aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
