A minimum of seven individuals have died and a significant number are missing following a craft transporting approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe sank off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the northern 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 those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in last year and estimates over 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants seeking to get to European countries, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
