At least seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a craft carrying around two hundred people trying to get to European shores capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in last year and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died were found, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African nations aimed at reducing irregular migration.
