No fewer than seven individuals have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a search operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with several North African countries designed to reducing irregular migration.
