No fewer than seven souls have died and numerous others are lost in the wake of a vessel transporting approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in last year and data indicates more than 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
