No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft carrying around two hundred people attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military said.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African nations aimed at reducing irregular migration.
