A minimum of seven people have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a craft ferrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores sank in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with several North African nations designed to reducing illegal migration.
