A minimum of seven people lost their lives and numerous others are missing after a craft ferrying approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African countries designed to limiting undocumented migration.
