At least seven souls have died and many others are missing following a vessel transporting around two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in last year and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military reported.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations aimed at reducing illegal migration.
