At least seven souls have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a vessel ferrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants seeking to get to Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries aimed at reducing irregular migration.
