Dozens Unaccounted For Following Boat Holding Two Hundred Migrants Goes Down near the coast of Gambia.
A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are missing after a vessel carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations designed to limiting undocumented migration.
