A minimum of seven people have died and many others are missing after a vessel carrying about 200 migrants trying to get to European shores sank off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a search operation, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African nations aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
