A minimum of seven people lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for after a vessel transporting about two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe capsized off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African countries designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
