A minimum of seven people have died and many others are lost in the wake of a boat carrying about two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe capsized off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with several North African countries with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
