A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a boat ferrying around two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in last year and estimates over 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach European countries, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African nations designed to reducing illegal migration.
