At least seven people have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a craft transporting about 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates over nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African countries with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
