Scores Lost After Vessel Carrying Two Hundred Migrants Sinks near the coast of Gambia.
A minimum of seven individuals have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a boat transporting approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates over 9,000 people perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting irregular migration.