Numerous People Lost Following Boat Transporting 200 Asylum Seekers Capsizes near the coast of Gambia.

At least seven people have perished and many others are lost following a vessel carrying approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.

The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.

96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.

The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.

Close to 47,000 people made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.

Ongoing Mission

Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry reported.

Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.

The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.

A Frequent Pathway

This West African nation is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.

Recently, the European Union has established pacts with multiple North African nations with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.