No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and many others are missing after a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in last year and figures suggest over 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who died have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter Europe, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations designed to reducing illegal migration.
