A minimum of seven people lost their lives and numerous others are missing following a vessel transporting approximately two hundred people attempting to reach Europe capsized off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
