No fewer than seven souls have perished and many others are lost in the wake of a craft carrying around 200 people trying to get to the European continent overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military reported.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple North African nations designed to limiting irregular migration.
