At least seven individuals have died and a significant number are missing in the wake of a boat carrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in last year and estimates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
