At least seven people have died and many others are lost in the wake of a vessel transporting about two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in last year and estimates more than 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with several Maghreb states aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
