A minimum of seven souls have perished and a significant number are missing after a vessel carrying around 200 migrants trying to get to Europe overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with several Maghreb states aimed at reducing illegal migration.
