A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number are missing following a boat ferrying about 200 people trying to get to Europe sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African countries designed to limiting illegal migration.
