At least seven souls have perished and many others remain unaccounted for following a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing irregular migration.
