No fewer than seven people have perished and numerous others are lost following a boat carrying about two hundred people trying to get to Europe capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in last year and estimates more than 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
