No fewer than seven souls have died and numerous others are missing following a boat ferrying about two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in last year and estimates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy initiated a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with a number of North African countries aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
