At least seven people lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a boat transporting about 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military said.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with several North African countries designed to limiting illegal migration.
