No fewer than seven people have died and many others are lost after a boat carrying around 200 migrants trying to get to Europe sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in last year and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven victims who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with several North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.
