Dozens Lost Following Craft Holding Two Hundred Asylum Seekers Goes Down in waters off the Gambian coast.
A minimum of seven individuals have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the military reported.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states aimed at limiting illegal migration.