Dozens Lost Following Vessel Holding Two Hundred Asylum Seekers Sinks near the coast of The Gambia.

A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and many others are lost following a vessel carrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.

The craft flipped late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.

96 individuals were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.

The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.

Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals perished trying.

Ongoing Mission

In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military confirmed.

Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.

The deceased of the seven individuals who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.

A Common Migration Route

This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.

Recently, the EU has established pacts with several North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.