No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and many others are missing after a vessel transporting about two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining 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 asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African countries with the goal of curtailing irregular migration.
