At least seven people have died and numerous others are missing after a boat ferrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with several Maghreb states with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
