At least seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a vessel ferrying around two hundred people trying to get to the European continent overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations aimed at limiting irregular migration.
