At least seven individuals have perished and numerous others are missing in the wake of a vessel ferrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
