No fewer than seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost following a boat transporting approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates over 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with several Maghreb states designed to limiting undocumented migration.
