Dozens Missing Following Vessel Holding Two Hundred Migrants Goes Down near the coast of The Gambia.
No fewer than seven souls have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a boat carrying about 200 people trying to get to the European continent sank off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Officials state 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 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.
