No fewer than seven people have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a craft ferrying approximately 200 people seeking to enter the European continent overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African countries with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
