No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft carrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
