No fewer than seven souls have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a craft ferrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
