No fewer than seven individuals have died and many others are missing in the wake of a vessel carrying about two hundred people seeking to enter European shores sank in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and estimates more than 9,000 people have died trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with a number of North African nations designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
