A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and many others are missing in the wake of a boat ferrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe sank in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for 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 European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple North African nations designed to curtailing irregular migration.
