At least seven souls have perished and many others are missing in the wake of a vessel carrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in last year and estimates in excess of 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
