A minimum of seven people lost their lives and numerous others are missing in the wake of a craft transporting about two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canaries in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states designed to reducing undocumented migration.
