Dozens Unaccounted For Following Vessel Holding Two Hundred Migrants Sinks off The Gambia.
A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are missing in the wake of a vessel carrying approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe sank off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African countries aimed at limiting illegal migration.