A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a vessel ferrying around 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized in waters near The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with multiple North African countries with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
