At least seven people lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a vessel transporting approximately two hundred people trying to get to the European continent sank near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in last year and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African countries designed to curtailing irregular migration.
